“In medical school, they try to prepare you for this. They do. They tell you there’ll be tough decisions, times when you have to hold someone’s fate in your hand, times when you are forced to play God. But nothing really prepares you for times like this. Nothing. — Dr. Joel Fleishman on circumcision …
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Editor’s Note: The following article appeared on David’ Balashinsky’s blog on March 28, 2022, and was recently updated, making this the first long-form article addressing the most recent concerns of antisemitism in the genital autonomy community. By DAVID BALASHINSKY — I got involved in “intactivism” (the name by which the cause of eradicating male genital mutilation…
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By RYAN McALLISTER — I’ve come to expect defensiveness when I bring up the topic of circumcision. I’ve talked with thousands of people in my small, personal efforts to oppose circumcision in the US, and defensiveness is how nearly everyone responds. And yet, in his newest book and recent posts, Brendon Marotta singles out the…
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By REBECCA WALD Antisemitism is on the rise. The Anti-Defamation League reports that across the U.S., antisemitic incidents hit an all-time high in 2021. Tel Aviv University has also reported record-high global antisemitism. Sadly, for many of us in the Jewish community, these trends are more than abstract figures. A few months ago, my own…
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Eliyahu Ungar-Sargon created this short film as part of Bruchim’s educational resources. Bruchim is a nonprofit that advocates for non-circumcising Jews and their families. Eliyahu walks us through three texts from the heart of the Rabbinic legal tradition that all deal with the matter of intact(uncircumcised)Jewish boys and men. He demonstrates that contrary to common belief,…
DetailsBy REBECCA WALD — Sometimes Jewish practice finds itself on a collision course with modern science. How is this handled? Can long-standing Jewish practices evolve? The answer can be found in the life and work of Rabbi Moshe Dovid Tendler who passed away last week at the age of 95. Tendler’s life and legacy have…
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By REBECCA WALD — A few weeks ago I traveled to northern California to attend the brit shalom of the grandson of my friend and colleague Lisa Braver Moss. It was a magical day full of spiritual and personal significance. The ceremony the family chose came from the book, Celebrating Brit Shalom, which Lisa and I co-authored…
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By YAKOV ZISSER — I was born in Siberia, Russia, in 1957. My parents and grandparents were originally Latvian Jews. As an independent country, Latvia had a small Jewish population where Jews had schools and participated in culture and politics. However the Soviets occupied Latvia in 1940. On the eve of Germany’s invasion of Latvia, in…
DetailsForgive me, but I am getting more than a little tired of reading the myriad “heartwarming” stories about how brit milah is carrying on despite the Covid-19 pandemic. About how loved ones far and wide now watch the cutting take place on Zoom, and how mohels are donning surgical masks. To counter these trite pieces…
DetailsMany of us grew up hearing that circumcision is “just a snip,” the removal of “a little extra piece of skin,” “no big deal,” and “healthier.” Did you grow up hearing these things? If so, it’s only natural for you to believe them—especially when you haven’t been exposed to any evidence to the contrary. When…
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Robert S. (Zalman Shaul) Mendelsohn, M.D. (1926-1988) was a practicing American pediatrician who authored several bestselling books on healthcare, appeared on TV and radio, and wrote a syndicated medical advice column. Beloved by many for his practical advice, Mendelsohn encouraged people to take a judicious approach to their medical care. He was a proponent of…
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An Israeli anti-circumcision group will take their message to the steps of the Danish embassy. September 14, 2020Danish parliament is scheduled to vote on a bill that would prohibit parents from circumcising boys. It’s already illegal in Denmark to cut the genitals of minor girls for religious reasons. The goal of the bill is humanitarian in…
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© 2019 Getty Images GUEST CONTRIBUTION As the victim of an Orthodox Jewish bris, I am sharing my story to hopefully convince others to spare their children this trauma. Given my religious upbringing, a bris was considered a normal event and not something to be hidden. As a child, I was told how the mohel came over to…
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Rabbi Nathan (Natan) Segal, one of the first American rabbis known to conduct naming ceremonies without circumcision for Jewish male infants, died on July 23, 2019, surrounded by family. He was a staunch opponent of brit milah and wrote passionately against the practice. Rabbi Natan Segal Born in Chicago in 1949, Segal was an ordained rabbi and…
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By REBECCA WALD Earlier this week, Rabbi Tzvee Zahavy penned a fascinating and important piece on the trend of Jews forgoing circumcision for their sons. Rabbi Tzvee Zahavy, Ph.D. “I observe that it is trendy now in some progressive communities in Israel not to circumcise baby boys,” Zahavy writes, noting he has “a devout Jewish friend who…
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