Shalom and thank you for turning to us. You raise some important points. Firstly, as you realize yourself, having a Jewish father or grandfather does not make you Jewish according to Jewish law. Secondly, you wish to rectify the gross injustice done to the Jewish nation (as well as other unlucky victims) during the Holocaust. (Not to mention the fact that there was not enough support for the survivors afterwards.) Your sensitivity is commendable!
You do not however, need to necessarily change your own religion in order to rectify the above-mentioned wrongs. There is a way to identify with the Jewish nation and indeed with the cause of justice and true human rights in the world while retaining your individual identity.
The Bible contains the account of the righteous Noah, who was saved from the flood of retribution by the Almighty G-d, together with his family. There are Seven Noahide Laws for non-Jews. Jews observe those laws also and more.
The Seven Noahide Laws are:
1. Not to worship idols. Today there are still some cultures where actual physical idols are worshipped, but much more common idols are the ideological ones of wealth and external beauty. All mankind needs to assess whether or not their loyalties lie in good places and they are not given over to less than moral causes.
2. Not to curse G-d. Speech is a powerful tool we have been given. The power of speech should be used for good things, and should never be used against the Creator who gifts us with it.
3. Not to commit murder. We need to work on being positive, humble, loving and forgiving so that we move far away from a mindset that would allow such an action. There are also delicate areas where the line is difficult to draw, such as in medical situations. Advice should be sought (in general it is desirable to have a spiritual mentor,) if one finds oneself in such a quandary. Life is a precious gift, and a holy one. It is not ours to take.
4. Not to commit adultery or sexual immorality. There is room for a tremendous contribution to society by supporting the idea of marriage – to members of the opposite sex – and family unity. The institution of marriage and family has unfortunately plummeted downhill.
5. Not to steal. Most people may not wake up in the morning and formulate a plan to break into the bank. However thought needs to be given to whether or not we are behaving with integrity by not engaging in our private matters during our work hours for example, or to many other such mundane situations.
6. Not to eat flesh torn from a living animal. We can work with animals but must not cause them unnecessary pain.
7. Establish courts of justice. Human nature being what it is, society must have a means of establishing boundaries and enforcing them. While some people may never need to go near a court, others unfortunately may have to deal with people or situations where laws have been broken.
It seems that working on the above-mentioned rules would be a great rectification of the wrongs committed by the Nazis. Someone who is careful with all the above principles is creating a spiritual ripple effect that makes the world a better place. A much better place!
Regarding conversion, if you study the Noahide Laws and their details and repercussions and try to practice them, and still feel like something is missing, you can of course study Judaism and see if it draws you. There six hundred and thirteen laws in Judaism, which means that it involves much study.
A person who shows the sensitivity you do does not come across as a fake of any kind! It is worthwhile embarking on a discovery tour of the Noahide Laws and perhaps a little bit about Jewish belief and practice. Give yourself some time to contemplate and digest what you learn.
The main thing is that you lead a life that finds favor in G-d’s eyes, and to do that, you need more knowledge.
Good luck with your search!
