Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation
The Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation is based in Tulsa, OK. It was founded in 1987 and it is a is part of the Schusterman Philanthropic Network (SPN), a global network of philanthropic initiatives started by the Schusterman family in the U.S., Israel, and Canada.
According to their website, their vision is "To help the Jewish people flourish by spreading the joy of Jewish living, giving and learning," and their mission is "ensuring vibrant Jewish life by empowering young Jews to embrace the joy of Judaism, build inclusive Jewish communities, support the State of Israel and repair the world." They have a branch in Israel, founded in 2006.[1]
Promotion of infant circumcision
In 2009, Schusterman Family Foundation gave a grant to mohel and professional infant circumcisor Neil Pollock to promote infant circumcision in Rwanda,[2] particularly the Mogen technique, in the name of HIV prevention. As a result of this, the Rwandan Ministry of Health has made infant circumcision a priority as AIDS prevention strategy.[3] This in spite of the fact that studies have shown shown HIV to be more prevalent among circumcised men in that country (3.5% vs 2.1%).[4]
Population-based studies
September 2021 saw the publication of two huge population studies on the relationship of circumcision and HIV infection:
- Mayan et al. (2021) carried out a massive empirical study of the male population of the province of Ontario, Canada (569,950 males), of whom 203,588 (35.7%) were circumcised between 1991 and 2017. The study concluded that circumcision status is not related to risk of HIV infection.[5]
- Morten Frisch & Jacob Simonsen (2021) carried out a large scale empirical population study in Denmark of 855,654 males regarding the alleged value of male circumcision in preventing HIV and other sexually transmitted infections in men. They found that circumcised men have a higher rate of STI and HIV infection overall than intact men.[6]
No association between lack of circumcision and risk of HIV infection was found by either study. There now is credible evidence that the massive, expensive African circumcision programs have not been effective in preventing HIV infection.
References
- ↑
(11 April 2011). Schusterman Philantropic Network
, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation. Retrieved 11 April 2011. - ↑
Millman, N. Michael (24 February 2009)."BC Surgeon Joins Fight Against Sub-Saharan AIDS", marketwire. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
Quote:...much of the trip's cost was covered by grant money from Canadian Institutes of Health Research and funding from the Shusterman Foundation...
- ↑ Millman, N. Michael (24 February 2009)."BC Surgeon Joins Fight Against Sub-Saharan AIDS", marketwire. Retrieved 10 April 2011.
Quote:At the end of Dr. Pollock's visit, the Rwandan Ministry of Health announced they were making infant circumcision a priority in their fight against AIDS, as they found it to be more sustainable in the long run and ten times cheaper than adult circumcision(v).
- ↑
Britton E. 15.3.6 HIV Prevalence and Male Circumcision. HIV prevalence and associated factors. 12 October 2006; : 239. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
Quote:Table 15.11 indicates higher prevalence of HIV among circumcised males (3.5 percent) than among uncircumcised males (2.1 percent).
- ↑ Mayan M, Hamilton RJ, Juurlink DN, Austin PC, Jarvi KA. Circumcision and Risk of HIV Among Males From Ontario, Canada. J Urol. 23 September 2021; PMID. DOI. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
Quote:We found that circumcision was not independently associated with the risk of acquiring HIV among men from Ontario, Canada.
- ↑ Frisch M, Simonsen J. Non-therapeutic male circumcision in infancy or childhood and risk of human immunodeficiency virus and other sexually transmitted infections: national cohort study in Denmark. Eur J Epidemiol. 26 September 2021; 37: 251–9. PMID. DOI. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
