Clo

g are not aware of their
pain — pain that she had
TI religious beliefs?"
gone to such great lengths
While Jews have con-
to avoid.
Istinued through the ages
"By circumcising, I felt
.2 to honor this command-
I was negating everything
ment, other groups have
I had gone through in
picked up the practice as
order to bring him into
well. Muslims, for exam-
this world," she said, cry-
ple, also incorporate the
ing at the memory.
rite, as do many funda-
According to
mentalist Christians.
Birmingham activist
In general, 70 percent
Norm Cohen, Ettinger is
of American males are
among a small but grow-
circumcised, most of
ing number of American
whom are not Jewish,
Jews who are eschewing
Muslim or fundamental-
the rite of circumcision in
ist Christian. The surgery
favor of non-surgical nam-
became common practice
ing ceremonies for boys.
NI, 0 '81 '
after World War I when
President of the Michigan
'''''''''''''''
circumcision was touted
I
chapter of the National
as a way to cure a variety_
Organization of
of medical and social ills
Circumcision Inforrriation
ranging from an urge to
Resource Centers
masturbate to curbing
(NOCIRC), Cohen
sexual appetite, from
believes it is a movement
reducing urinary tract
whose time has come.
infections to all but elim-
"The time is now,
inating penile cancer.
because the evidence indi-
As circumcision gained
cates that the baby feels
credence, more and more
pain, the baby remembers Norm Cohen of the National Organization of Circumcision Information Resource Ceriters urges families to
Americans consented to
it on some level and
rethink their decision to circumcise their sons.
the practice. Soon,
because it is damaging to
almost an entire genera-
the sex lives of men," he
most
widely
observed
in
modern
tion
of
men
were circumcised.
from Genesis, orders the procedure
said. "If Jews want to be Jews, they
At the same time, medical research
Judaism, said Dr. Ronald Goldman,
be
done
on
the
eighth
day
of
life
for
have to do it in their hearts, not by
a Boston psychologist specializing in
began to poke holes in the theory
each male born thereafter.
cutting the flesh of an unconsenting
that circumcision could prevent or
the education and research of the
"Thus
my
covenant
be
marked
in
minor child."
psychological effects of circumcision.
cure several ailments. While studies
your
flesh
as
an
everlasting
pact,"
Archaeologists and historians
Although
most
Jews
do
not
keep
showed that circumcised men had
Genesis reads.
believe that circumcision began with
lower incidence rates of urinary tract
kosher,
observe
family
purity
laws
or
"The brit milah is a command-
the Egyptians about one millennium
infections (UTI), venereal disease
keep
the
Sabbath,
an
overwhelming
ment from God as a sign of His
before Abraham was instructed to
and cancer of the penis, researchers
majority do circumcise their sons.
covenant
with
us,"
said
Cantor
remove the foreskin of Isaac. In fact,
found that poor hygiene and certain
"If you ask liberal Jews why they
Howard
Glantz
of
Adat
Shalom
early hieroglyphics on ancient ruins
circumcise their sons, they say that is
ethnic differences may be account-
Synagogue,
a
mohel
who
has
per-
depict the procedure.
what Jews do. They aren't aware of
able.
formed
more
than
1,000
circumci-
Jews began incorporating the rite
Although it is still seen as the sur-
the religious basis, the covenant,"
sions.
"It
takes
us
back
to
the
time
when God commanded Abraham to
gical
cure for some foreskin ailments,
Goldman
said.
"It
is
more
conformi-
when God chose us as His people
circumcise Isaac as a mark of the
circumcision,
like any surgical proce-
ty
than
religious
beliefs.
How
can
and continues with us today."
covenant between Him and the
dure,
also
carries
risks such as infec-
they
do
it
for
religious
beliefs
if
they
The ritual, though ancient, is the
Jewish people. The account, taken

Jewish
Movements
d The
Circumcision

JILL DAVIDSON MAR

Special to The Jewish News

3/20

1998

68

T

he mitzvah of brit milah
is one of the most ancient
in Jewish life. While
there are some differences
between Jewish movements over
who can partake in the ritual, when
it should occur and how much
training a mohel should possess, all
support the covenant of brit milah.
Most see it as one of the basic
tenets of Judaism.
Below is a brief description of
how the movements in Judaism
regard the brit milah:

Orthodox:

In the Orthodox movement, stan-
dards of brit milah strictly adhere to
Flalachah (Jewish law), taken
straight from the account in Genesis
and interpreted by rabbinic sages
through the centuries.
Rabbi Shaial Zachariash, a pre-
sidium member of the Vaad
Harabonim, the Council of
Orthodox Rabbis of Greater
Detroit, said brit milah is to take
place on the eighth day of life
except in a small number of circum-

stances. For one, if a child is ill, the
mitzvah takes place when the child
is physically able. In the case of a
child born at twilight on a Friday or
Saturday evening, or if a child is
born by C-section on a Saturday,
the bris is held on the Sunday fol-
lowing the eighth day.
A bris is also best held in the
morning as opposed to the after-
noon or evening of the eighth day.
"The general rule is that the par-
ticipants should show their enthusi
mitzvah
i in a -
participating
asm i
n partcpatng

D

/\