(NEWS) From Church To Anarchy To Neo-Nazism To Yeshivah

"A young man's fascinating journey from attending Church to anarchism then on to neo-Nazism and finally to Yeshivas Tiferes Menachem of Segate.

Recently Rabbi Shmuel Reich of the Chabad Jewish Enrichment Center of Clearwater FL provided a 'Hatafas Dam Bris' for a Jew whose mother converted to Christianity before he was born, and arranged for him to go study in Yeshivah in Seagate for 3 months.

This is an amazing story and it goes like this: Aryeh Yehudah Jacobs was born and raised in Clearwater FL, and he is related to one of the wealthiest Jewish families in the Tampa Bay area which built many thousands of homes in the area. However, the Tampa Bay area also happens to be the worst area of assimilation in America, particularly Clearwater. (Martin Grossman grew up in Clearwater.) His mother`s family was a normal Jewish family which only went to the reform Temple once a year. When they grew up, her sister was looking for religion and she ended up converting to Christianity, then she convinced her sister – Aryeh Yehuda`s mother – to do the same.

Aryeh Yehudah was born after his mother converted, his father isn't Jewish. His mother would take him regularly to a church led by none other than a 'Pastor Nuessbaum' – go figure, and he always subconsciously rebelled against it. Through this rebelliousness against Christianity he got involved with anarchist, death metal, and neo-Nazi groups which eventually led him to prison. In prison he discovered that he is Jewish through another prisoner who told him 'if your mother was born Jewish than you are absolutely Jewish', and that’s what really got him interested in learning more about Judaism. Through Rabbi Mendy Katz of 'Aleph', and Rabbi Shmuel Spritzer of 'Reaching out', he received Jewish material while in prison, as well as Rabbi Yossi Eber of Chabad of West Pasco who helped him out upon his release.

Recently he came back home to Clearwater where Bhashgacha Pratis he met Rabbi Reich, who – as mentioned above - provided him with a 'Hatafas Dam Bris' whereupon he received his Hebrew name 'Aryeh Yehudah', and soon after he arranged for him to study for 3 months in yeshivah 'Tiferes Menachem' of Segate. Aryeh Yehudah wants to live his life as a good Jew. He also wants to visit Israel, and grow in Yidishkeit one day at a time!" (source)