DNA heritage from erased/cancelled long-lost family members?

[InmostLight]

I've known for a while about my biological grandfather of Jewish heritage, who was never present in any of my family's "canon", so to speak, who fathered my own father and was promptly erased and replaced with a new White husband. I recently did find 23% Ashkenazi genetic markers on a 23andme test, which is almost exactly what I expected. However, I don't feel connected to it in any way. My "real grandfather", who adopted my father in infancy, is of totally Nordic descent.

What are yall's opinions on claiming heritage that isn't part of your blood? What if it is in your blood, but you have no real-life connection to it through language, tradition, or religion? I'm very confused on what I should or should not identify myself with. I don't feel Jewish. Is 23% enough to discredit my whiteness? I don't know what to call myself.

[Jana]

You aren't non white if you are quarter Jewish. Jews aren't Africans or some completely alien race.

That being said you should embrace all of your ancestry, both "White" and Jewish one. If there were no Jewish grandpa, you would not exist. I can't respect people who are ashamed of part of their ancestry especially if such ancestor wasn't a lowlife or criminal but just an ordinary guy. So I'd advise you not to repeat mistakes your family did before.

You don't need to identify with your Jewish part (it's just a quarter of your ancestry after all), and you can like culture of people who raised you, but I can't see how can you claim to be eg. Nordic if you have no such blood. It isn't your heritage. Simple as that.

Just be yourself. And that's white American.

[Leto]

If your mother isn't Jewish and you don't practice Judaism in any way, you aren't considered Jewish by Jewish law.
Also, the Ashkenazim are not fully Middle Eastern but more like half, so one quarter Jewish translates into about 1/8 Levantine, if that matters at all.