Brochure highlights danger of oral-gential contact during ritual circumcision but laws are needed to protect vulnerable babies. By REBECCA WALD One topic I’ve never before addressed on Beyond the Bris is the practice of metzitsah b’peh. This very ancient practice takes place during traditional religious circumcision, just after the mohel has removed the foreskin. Before this…
DetailsImagine a world in the near future where sex is just for recreation. A world where hopeful parents-to-be (even those of relatively modest means) go to IVF clinics to pre-select embryos based on their genetic desirability—and where genetic enhancement through various techniques is possible. This is the world of Jamie Metzl’s newest book, Genesis Code:…
DetailsMarilyn Milos, RN, references “Celebrating Brit Shalom” atthe 2015 Birth Keeper Summit in Berkeley, CA. By REBECCA WALD Well, it’s official. Drumroll please! As of today the Oakland-based indie publishing company, Notim Press, has officially released Celebrating Brit Shalom, a book I’ve co-authored with my wonderful colleague and friend Lisa Braver Moss.Celebrating Brit Shalom is…
DetailsBy REBECCA WALD Italian artist Vincenzo Aiello has made what he says is the first-ever recreation of the male foreskin. Calling it an art piece, he’s offering these ultra-realistic sculptures of “HuFo” to backers of his Kickstarter crowd-funding effort.The purpose of the campaign, which seems well on track to meet its $40,000 goal, is to…
DetailsJonathan Friedman is the last person some might expect to be lead activist in a high-profile circumcision case. After all, the Brooklyn-born yeshiva graduate was raised to believe in the centrality of circumcision.But Friedman defies many conventions as he travels the U.S. organizing protests and otherwise rallying the Intactivist troops. Despite graduating from The Cooper…
DetailsBy B.J. EPSTEIN It’s a well-known phenomenon that a pregnant body is seen as a public one, and can become a war zone of sorts. People feel able to comment on any aspect of the woman’s body and behavior, and to ask questions or give advice about how to raise the forthcoming child. It’s frustrating,…
DetailsIn May, a peaceful protest on behalf of the boy and his mom in front of the Court that upheld the circumcision order earlier this November. A group of concerned Floridians will be taking to the streets in protest on Sunday, Nov. 23, to raise awareness about the distressing case of a healthy four-year-old boy…
DetailsThe above photo is from the Facebook community “Chase’sGuardians,” which has more than 3000 “Likes” and is tryingto raise funds for a possible appeal to the Florida Supreme Court. The fight to save her four-year-old son from non-medically necessary circumcision recently got a lot tougher for a South Florida mom. On November 6 an appellate…
DetailsJewish psychiatrist Wilhelm Reich (1897-1957) wrote passionately against the practice of infant circumcision calling it “one of the worst treatments of children.” Now there is a new documentary film in the works about Reich’s life—and an active Kickstarter campaign to help fund what promises to be a very important project.Kevin Hinchey, who is a co-director…
DetailsThe movement to name newborn Jewish boys without the surgery of circumcision has reached a milestone—200 celebrants (officiants) are available to perform the ceremony. More than 120 of these are rabbis.Called brit shalom (Hebrew for covenant of peace), this alternative naming ceremony may correspond in most ways with traditional brit milah, except that there is no…
DetailsThe 13th International Symposium on Genital Autonomy and Children’s Rights, “Whole Bodies, Whole Selves: Activating Social Change,” will be hosted at the University of Colorado—Boulder on July 24-26, 2014.The Symposium focuses on interdisciplinary dialogue about the often controversial topic of genital cutting practices of male, female, and intersex children, and on strategies for protecting children…
DetailsCourtesy of Amira Gaynor “When we planned this Brit Shalom for our son, we struggled to find appropriate Jewish content for the ceremony. It was difficult to figure out which content honored the Jewish tradition of welcoming a Jewish boy to the community without honoring/performing the circumcision. Having a Jewish resource to guide the ceremony would have been a valuable resource. I…
DetailsBy EMILY KAPITI was not scared of labor and delivery; in fact, I was looking forward to it. I had a great team of supporters (husband, doctor, a doula), was prepared to labor using hypnobirthing, and really excited to meet our little one. I was, however, utterly terrified of a piece of paper, tucked inside…
DetailsIsraeli Mother Opposes Circumcision for Young Son By REBECCA WALDToday Israel’s High Court of Justice issued an unprecedented ruling—rabbinical courts in that country no longer have the authority to determine whether boys will be circumcised should divorcing parents disagree on the matter.The 6-1 vote in favor of stripping the rabbinical court’s power, means the disputed…
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