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Max Mintz is a retired Houston-area pediatrician who now works solely as a [[mohel]], or ritual circumcisor of Jewish babies.<ref>{{REFnews
| last=Heilman | first=Uriel | coauthors= | url=http://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Retired-doctor-busy-in-second-career-as-mohel-3549380.php | title=Retired doctor busy in second career as mohel | publisher= | workwebsite=The Houston Chronicle | quote=A retired Houston-area pediatrician who works as a mohel, or Jewish ritual circumciser... | date=2012-05-10 May 2012 | accessdate=2012-06-16
}}</ref> His discussion will include reasons some of these parents have shared with him... He offers his "services" to Jewish and non-Jewish parents who want their children circumcised.<ref>{{REFnews
| last=Heilman | first=Uriel | coauthors= | url=http://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Retired-doctor-busy-in-second-career-as-mohel-3549380.php | title=Retired doctor busy in second career as mohel | publisher= | workwebsite=The Houston Chronicle | quote=Mintz doesn't circumcise only Jewish children. | date=2012-05-10 May 2012 | accessdate=2012-06-16
}}</ref>
Mintz started off as a doctor, but he became a ritual circumcisor when he circumcise a son of wife's cousin in 1979 who lived in Beumont, Texas 90 miles east of Houston, Texas, and the only three mohels in Houston at the time were already booked.<ref>{{REFnews
| last=Heilman | first=Uriel | coauthors= | url=http://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Retired-doctor-busy-in-second-career-as-mohel-3549380.php | title=Retired doctor busy in second career as mohel | publisher= | workwebsite=The Houston Chronicle | quote=...it wasn't until his wife's cousin gave birth to a son in 1979 that he was drafted into ritual service. | date=2012-05-10 May 2012 | accessdate=2012-06-16
}}</ref>
Mintz began to keep count of his circumcisions shortly after beginning his mohel career.<ref>{{REFnews
| last=Heilman | first=Uriel | coauthors= | url=http://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Retired-doctor-busy-in-second-career-as-mohel-3549380.php | title=Retired doctor busy in second career as mohel | publisher= | workwebsite=The Houston Chronicle | quote=Shortly after he began his mohel career, Mintz... began keeping count of his circumcisions. | date=2012-05-10 May 2012 | accessdate=2012-06-16
}}</ref> According to his own estimations, Mintz has circumcised 9,700 babies during the past 30 years<ref>{{REFnews
| last=Heilman | first=Uriel | coauthors= | url=http://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Retired-doctor-busy-in-second-career-as-mohel-3549380.php | title=Retired doctor busy in second career as mohel | publisher= | workwebsite=The Houston Chronicle | quote=Mintz has circumcised 9,700 babies during the past 30 years, according to his count. | date=2012-05-10 May 2012 | accessdate=2012-06-16
}}</ref>, and he aims to make this number an even 10,000 by the end of 2012.<ref>{{REFnews
| last=Heilman | first=Uriel | coauthors= | url=http://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Retired-doctor-busy-in-second-career-as-mohel-3549380.php | title=Retired doctor busy in second career as mohel | publisher= | workwebsite=The Houston Chronicle | quote=He expects to reach 10,000 near the end of this year. | date=2012-05-10 May 2012 | accessdate=2012-06-16
}}</ref> (Source last accessed June 16) His five grandsons are included in that number.<ref>{{REFnews
| last=Heilman | first=Uriel | coauthors= | url=http://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Retired-doctor-busy-in-second-career-as-mohel-3549380.php | title=Retired doctor busy in second career as mohel | publisher= | workwebsite=The Houston Chronicle | quote=...Mintz... has circumcised all five of his grandsons... | date=2012-05-10 May 2012 | accessdate=2012-06-16
}}</ref>
Now 71, Mintz says he'll keep circumcising until he gets shaky.<ref>{{REFnews
| last=Heilman | first=Uriel | coauthors= | url=http://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Retired-doctor-busy-in-second-career-as-mohel-3549380.php | title=Retired doctor busy in second career as mohel | publisher= | workwebsite=The Houston Chronicle | quote=Now 71, Mintz says he'll keep circumcising as long as he can - until he gets shaky. | date=2012-05-10 May 2012 | accessdate=2012-06-16
}}</ref>
Mintz makes his living circumcising not only-Jewish children, but also gentile, non-Jewish children as well.<ref>{{REFnews
| last=Heilman | first=Uriel | coauthors= | url=http://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Retired-doctor-busy-in-second-career-as-mohel-3549380.php | title=Retired doctor busy in second career as mohel | publisher= | workwebsite=The Houston Chronicle | quote=Mintz doesn't circumcise only Jewish children. | date=2012-05-10 May 2012 | accessdate=2012-06-16
}}</ref> While for Jewish children, he circumcises out of religious conviction, he circumcises non-Jewish children for the aesthetic or health reasons his gentile clients give him.<ref>{{REFnews
| last=Heilman | first=Uriel | coauthors= | url=http://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Retired-doctor-busy-in-second-career-as-mohel-3549380.php | title=Retired doctor busy in second career as mohel | publisher= | workwebsite=The Houston Chronicle | quote=Many parents choose circumcision for aesthetic or health reasons... | date=2012-05-10 May 2012 | accessdate=2012-06-16
}}</ref> However there is financial interest involved, as he charges $350.00 per child.<ref>{{REFnews
| last=Heilman | first=Uriel | coauthors= | url=http://www.chron.com/life/houston-belief/article/Retired-doctor-busy-in-second-career-as-mohel-3549380.php | title=Retired doctor busy in second career as mohel | publisher= | workwebsite=The Houston Chronicle | quote=Mintz, who charges about $350 for the service, is happy to oblige. | date=2012-05-10 May 2012 | accessdate=2012-06-16
}}</ref>
On Friday, Jun 15, 2012, UTMB hosted the symposium "Cutting Edge Debate: Pros, Cons and Contexts of Male Circumcision" from 2:00pm to 4:00pm at the Moody Gardens Hotel as part of their 61st Pediatrics by the Gulf annual Pediatric Review and Update.<ref>{{REFnews
| last=Dannenmaier | first=Molly | coauthors= | url=http://galvestondailynews.com/story/320846 | title=UTMB invites public to symposium on circumcision | publisher= | workwebsite=The Daily News | quote=The symposium “Cutting Edge Debate: Pros, Cons and Contexts of Male Circumcision” will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Moody Gardens Hotel... | date=2012-06-12 Jun 2012 | accessdate=2012-06-16
}}</ref>
A panel was supposed to engage in "multidimensional discussion" of the ethical questions raised by the practice of circumcision, the wide array of varied views and circumcision and the supposed "social and cultural contexts that shape those views." The audience was invited to participate in discussion.<ref>{{REFnews
| last=Dannenmaier | first=Molly | coauthors= | url=http://galvestondailynews.com/story/320846 | title=UTMB invites public to symposium on circumcision | publisher= | workwebsite=The Daily News | quote=The panel will engage in a multidimensional discussion... | date=2012-06-12 Jun 2012 | accessdate=2012-06-16
}}</ref>
Max Mintz was one of the panelists, and he spoke from the perspective of Jewish tradition, <ref>{{REFnews
| last=Dannenmaier | first=Molly | coauthors= | url=http://galvestondailynews.com/story/320846 | title=UTMB invites public to symposium on circumcision | publisher= | workwebsite=The Daily News | quote=He will speak to the place of circumcision in the Jewish tradition... | date=2012-06-12 Jun 2012 | accessdate=2012-06-16
}}</ref> as well as he shared the reasons for circumcising non-Jewish babies as part of his mohel practice.<ref>{{REFnews
| last=Dannenmaier | first=Molly | coauthors= | url=http://galvestondailynews.com/story/320846 | title=UTMB invites public to symposium on circumcision | publisher= | workwebsite=The Daily News | quote=His discussion will include reasons some of these parents have shared with him... | date=2012-06-12 Jun 2012 | accessdate=2012-06-16
}}</ref>