Great admiration for this guy who gave up comfort and peace to serve in the Jewish army in the Jewish state. We need more Jews like him and fewer like the "rabbi" at the community center or the inevitable haters that will appear on this comment section who will doubtless marginalize him as not being halachically Jewish (as if this should matter anymore). He is a better representative of our people than the thousands of bums who contribute nothing, but are so eager to display their halachic bona fides.

He is not jewish acording to jewish law and tora. Mom not jewish, he is not jewish. He would have to make a conversion.

Correct he is not Jewish. But who cares! he can convert and I have no doubt he will. I for one are proud of him. We have enough anti-semites out there who we go on about and love to hate. This is negative energy. There are pro-semites also! like this young man! let's show them some love!

So? He is willing to serve and though he may technically not be Jewish he is Jewish in his heart and attitude which is what should count. This man will serve Israel better than many people who are totally Jewish through and through. My hat is off to this man and I wish him all the best.

Dont mention Torah here, cause obviously you havent read it. In Torah there is patrilineal, matrilineal came with Talmud.

My son was also told by a rabbi that he's not Jewish, for the same reason. The fact that he was brought up Jewish, always studied in Jewish schools and went through conversion to have his bar-mitzvah didn't matter: the conversion wasn't Jewish enough for this rabbi. He went as far as saying that my son's "soul would never be Jewish because he didn't come from a Jewish womb." If one sect of religious morons does not accept the other, who are they to determine who is Jewish and who is not? These orthodox bullies use religion to justify their existence, alienating true Jews, those who identify with the Jewish people and Jewish philosophy.

it is imperative that the rules be changed so that children can be considered jewish whether from the side of the father or the side of the mother. this is even more important than haredi inclusion in the army.

He loves his parents, Israel and is ready to fight for the country. No conversion necessay: he is a good Jew. Be blessed young man!

Well at least he's willing to fight and die to protect the Jewish state - which is more than I can say for many of our dear guardians of the Torah, the Haredim. Not Jewish enough to be accepted by you, but Jewish enough to do your dirty work.

As others say...Kol Hakavod!

deciding who is Jewish. Id say keep the thousands year ruling that it is through the mother, but make the conversion process easier for someone wwho only has a Jewish father. God bless this man, this brother of mine. Thank you.