Re: How do you know?

[Robert Cohen <rlcm17...>]

"Family tradition"--i.e., being told by your father!--is indeed the only way 
we "know"; but keep in mind that men with last names like "Levin," "Levine," 
and such are very likely, I suspect, to be kohens, too.

--Robert Cohen (Nuff said?  Nope, that name was adopted at Ellis Island--but 
adopted *because* my father knew he was a kohen.)

P.S.  One more thing should be added:  Say, G*d forbid, you lost your father 
(and, let's say, other family) as an infant; or for some other unusual 
reason, you have no one to ask.  If you know where your father's father (or, 
perhaps, your father, G*d forbid) is buried, visit their grave.  If it has a 
depiction of upraised hands (what I gather people know as the Star Trek 
position!--Oy!), then the deceased was a kohen.


>Same way Kohanim (priests) know- family tradition. BTW one Levi I know 
>claims there's a tradition in his family that they're descendents of Moses. 
>I see no reason to doubt him (or the tradition).

Original Message -----

>   So, how does a Levi know that he/she's a Levi if his/her name is not 
>Levi ?
>   Michal




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