David Goldberg

David Goldberg is the first rabbi to face charges for performing brit milah (circumcisions) in Cologne, Germany, two months after a court in Cologne indicated that circumcision of minors constituted bodily damage.

Background

David Goldberg is said to have experience performing over 3,000 circumcisions. Goldberg has been the rabbi of the Bavarian city of Hof since 1997.

Goldberg was born in Jerusalem, the son of a rabbi. He originally studied psychology after finishing his army service, but switched partway through to rabbinic studies. He was eventually ordained, and was also certified as a mohel. Goldberg has six children from two wives (he is divorced from the first ), as well as 18 grandchildren. He said he circumcised all three of his own sons. His youngest recently celebrated his bar mitzvah. His second wife, Miriam Chana, helps him with his work, and recently, this has included dealing with the flood of emails that has poured in since the criminal complaint was filed.

Charges

In June of 2012 a Court in Cologne ruled that circumcision of minors constituted bodily damage, banning the procedure in the province. Two months later Goldberg was accused by a doctor of performing illegal circumcisions.