The Knesset has approved a law that will allow single mothers to decide what first name they want to give for that of their child’s father in cases in which the identity of the father is unknown.  MKs Zahava Gal-On (Meretz) and Amira Dotan (Kadima) proposed the bill.

Previously the Interior Ministry listed the name of the child’s maternal grandfather as the name of the child’s father, in order to give children a name to use on official documents.  If the name of the maternal grandfather was not known, officials would assign a name.  Mothers will now be allowed to choose a name instead.  Children will be allowed to remove the name from their documents once they reach the age of 16, or to choose a name if their mothers did not choose one already.