Is a Jewish boy without a bris still Jewish?

A question was asked in class: Why is someone without a Brit potentially not part of the Jewish community - is Brit the real covenant - what makes a boy Jewish?

Even without circumcision, that child is considered Jewish even according to classical Jewish law. The law states that if the parents fail to have a bris for their son it is the responsibility of the rabbinic court to do it on their behalf. If the rabbinic court fails to do it, it is his responsibility to be circumcised as an adult. No where does it state that he is not Jewish. For a perspective on this, check out this responsa from the Reform Movement on the question of whether a boy can have a Bar Mitzvah if he has not had a bris.

http://data.ccarnet.org/cgi-bin/respdisp.pl?file=34&year=arr