Ritual circumcision
Ritual circumcision refers to the practice by many Jewish parents of performing a circumcision on eight-day-old boys as mandated by the Abrahamic covenant found in Genesis 17. The circumcision is NOT a medical procedure. It is carried out by a religious official called a mohel. The circumcision is a religious ceremony called Brit Milah.
Hiss et al. (2000) reported the death of a boy from exsanguination after ritual circumcision[1]
Several medical articles have reported urinary tract infection (UTI) in Israel after ritual circumcision.[2][3][4][5]
Prais et al. (2009) reported that a boy is 2.8 times more likely to get a UTI when circumcised by a mohel as compared to when circumcised by a physician.[4]
The urethra of girls is shorter than that of boys, so it is normal for girls to have more urinary tract infections than boys. Marild & Jodal (1998), working in Sweden, reported an incidence of UTI in girls of 6.6% in the first six years of life, while boys had an incidence of 1.8%.[6] However, in Israel, with respect to Jewish boys, the situation is reversed with more UTI in boys as compared with girls. Toker et al. (2010) reported an incidence of UTI in Jewish boys of 24.7% as compared to girls with 8.4%.[5]
Many Jewish parents are concerned about the health and well-being of their son under the pain, stress, and trauma of a cutting operation in the newborn period, so they substitute a Brit Shalom, which is a non-cutting naming ceremony.
Many Jews in Israel are secular Jews who do not practice circumcision.
Bruchim is an American Jewish organization that seeks to make non-cutting accepted in synagogues.
The harm of circumcision
"Male circumcision is harmful because it excises healthy tissue and permanently destroys beneficial, protective, immunological, sexual, and sensory physiological functions. Male circumcision also causes psychological problems that tend to perpetuate the cycle of abuse. Male circumcision is a costly diversion of medical resources away from beneficial services. Male circumcision violates legal rights, human rights, and ethical standards. Finally, we must remember that males are the more vulnerable and sensitive of the two genders and, therefore, deserve the greater degree of protection from traumatic, invasive, injurious,and unnecessary surgery. For all of these reasons the non-therapeutic circumcision of boys should not be performed and the genital integrity of all children should be respected and protected."[7]
See also
External links
Raab, Scott (12 May 2025). The Case Against Circumcision
, Esquire. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
References
- ↑
Hiss, J, Horowitz, A, Kahana, T. Fatal haemorrhage following male ritual circumcision. J Clin Forensic Med. March 2000; 7(1): 32-4. PMID. DOI. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
- ↑ Cohen HA, Drucker MM, Vainer S, Ashkenazi A, Amir J, Frydman M, Varsano L. Postcircumcision Urinary Tract Infection. Clin Pediatr (Phila). June 1992; 31(6): 322-4. PMID. DOI. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- ↑ Goldman M, Barr J, Bistritzer, T, Aladjem M. Urinary tract infection following ritual Jewish circumcision. Isr J Med Sci. November 1996; 32(11): 1098-102. PMID. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- ↑ a b Prais D, Shoov-Furman R, Amir J. Is ritual circumcision a risk factor for neonatal urinary tract infections?. Arch Dis Child. March 2009; 94(3): 191-4. PMID. DOI. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- ↑ a b Toker O, Schwartz S, Segal G, Godovitch N, Schlesinger Y, Raveh D. A costly covenant: ritual circumcision and urinary tract infection
. Isr Med Assoc J. May 2010; 12(5): 262-5. PMID. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- ↑ Marild S, Jodal U. Incidence rate of first-time symptomatic urinary tract infection in children under 6 years of age. Acta Paediatr. May 1998; 87(5): 549-52. PMID. DOI. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
- ↑ Hill G. The case against circumcision . Journal of Men's Health and Gender. 2007; 4(3): 318-23. Retrieved 22 April 2025.
