Jewish Scene
In Israel, some rebel against circumcision
Reuters
Published: 29.12.12, 08:05
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1. Abuse?
Anshel ,   Canada   (12.29.12)
Jews were persecuted for thousand of years, many times in history they were forbidden to circumcise their sons, yet the Jews persevered in the custom. Now that Jews live in freedom, suddenly the circumcision is an abuse? Well, I have news for the misguided cry babies. Depriving your son without his knowledge of his covenant, is itself an abuse. It has been also proven over the time that circumcision benefits their future wives by reducing their risk of cervical cancer.
2. #1, it is not abuse to leave the baby whole
Ari ,   Sydney, Australia   (12.29.12)
When he is an adult and has freely sought knowledge of the covenant, then he can arrange to be circumcised if that is what he chooses. It is better that way. But still, given the tradition, it is also wrong to prevent the rite. That is a different kind of abuse, more like a religious bigotry. Either way, let parents decide freely.
3. And we rebel any measurements...
Alex   (12.29.12)
...taken to limit our G-d-given right to circumcise our sons.
4. It is healthy...
Orly ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (12.29.12)
... that people questioning what it means to be a Jew are concluding that the observant of a precept of Jewish law, even circumsicion, is not required in order for a male born a Jew to be a Jew.
5. a non-circumcised male
Cipora Julianna Kohn ,   Zion   (12.29.12)
a male that is not circumcised is not a jew.
6. Seriously?!
David ,   Frankfurt   (12.29.12)
The amount of self hating Jews a la Uri Avneri impresses me in Israel. Simply disgusting! No more to say!
7. Agree to Disagree!
ilan ,   Ramat gan, Israel   (12.29.12)
But you are the parents and it is your choice to make!!! My family's have taken their newborn son's to doctors exclusively to get circumcised, not rabbis! I guess the son can choose himself, later on!
8. To No. 5
Bertram ,   London, UK   (12.29.12)
I have some issues with the traditional position on inherited Jewish status i.e. someone is considered Jewish if born of a Jewish mother. However, that generally remains the defining characteristic of Jewish status, even of males, not circumcision. So, your statement is fundamentally incorrect.
9. Circumcision is a medical procedure
Sagi   (12.29.12)
and as such should be conducted in a surgery by a qualified MD. All other alternatives should be outlawed and banned with extreme punishments for disregarding the law. It is high time that Israel should achieve standards compatible with a 21st century democratic nation and not a land of shamans and soothsayers.
10. That procedure...
Jules   (12.29.12)
... had a hygienic reasoning in the past, when neither running water no soap was available. These days it's just senseless.
11. no medical benefits
John de Frece ,   ramat gan   (12.29.12)
don"t you just love the "facts" when they are"nt facts at all! Just as there is absolutely no evidence for the existance of a deity, there is no medical evidence proving that circumcision "prevents " cervical cancer. Circumcision cuts off over one third of the penile skin where there are a massiva amount of sensory organs. Without doubt prepuce amputation reduces sexual pleasure and I am bitterly sorry that it was done to me as i did it to my sons. i just went ahead because it was the "done" thing. In any case "modern" circumcision dates from the time of the Maccabees- before then circumcison was only a partial removal of the prepuce- not the whole lot! It is a pointless barbaric rite and when Tel Aviv splits away from the rest of Israel we will outlaw it!
12. So why did some african countries ask
jason white ,   afula,israel   (12.29.12)
Israel to train heir medical people to circumcize? It cut back on HIV infections. How about eliminating the Bar Mitzvah also? It is frightening for a thirteen year old boy to standup and recite ancient words in front of a crowd. Let us eliminate all of Judaism. There are a lot of forums on the internet. There are tons of forums about pedophilia also. Do these dumb ass parents want to get involved in that? For over a 100 generaions, we had brits and now some morons decided against it.Our morons, not anti Semitic non Jewish ones from eurabia!
13. "No medical benefits, #11" is very confused.
Ron ,   Lawrence, Kansas,   (12.29.12)
The cancer that circumcision prevents is penile cancer, not cervical cancer! The (hopeful!) cure for penile cancer is total removal of the penis. Penile cancer is just about totally unknown in circumcised men. The cure is so drastic! Circumcision became very commonly done here in the USA after World War 1, when a lot of uncircumcised men developed terrible infections of the penis in the damp trenches. Circumcised men were not affected. I know a couple women that used to work in nursing homes, and the stories they told of cleaning old uncircumcised men who were no longer able to clean themselves were terrible, they hated it.
14. Circumcision
Iris ,   Florida   (12.29.12)
The crazy thing is that when the child is older he might want it done then , then this mother would have made her kid suffer allot more Plenty of kids regret not being circumcised , not many wish they were not ...
15. circumcision
john   (12.29.12)
Circumcision is useful even for the religious if they obey the law. But if they disobey the law then the circumcision is treated as though you have not been circumcised. And those who have not been circumcised as though they have been ,if they obey the law. Do not trust these tradition, why make the poor baby suffer pain .
16. #5 Not true,
Susan ,   Kfar Saba   (12.29.12)
he is a Jew but he cant go up to the Toah, therefore no bar mitzvah ceremony in shul. He cant get married in a Jewish ceremony either. Im not sure if he can be buried in a Jewish cemetary, maybe someone out there knows. Its a lot more difficult to be circumcized when a man is older, more complications such as bleeding. Its a shame this mother listens to biased people. This is not the society to make such a decision.
17. To #7 That is a possibility
Susan ,   Kfar Saba   (12.29.12)
There are doctors who double as mohels. There is no law that says a mohel has to be a rabbi and some parents opt for this. Its a good option if the parents feels better.
18.  No. 2 Born whole? Born incomplete. Our job is tocomplete
Shadoil ,   Jerusalem   (12.29.12)
G-ds work and be part if his creation. Think about that point of view.
19. Au Revoir, Les Juives
ASTRONAUT ,   ME, USA   (12.29.12)
Goodbye, Judaism: You survived Expulsions, Diasporas, Pogroms, The Inquisition, The Holocaust, and boldfaced prejudice for over 6,000 years - and now, in a matter of a few decades, since the Founding of The Jewish Homeland, You shall meet Your demise at the hands of your misguided children.
20. people influenced by usa activists
Larry ,   Los Angeles   (12.29.12)
It is a shame that anyone would chose to believe a few fringe group activists over a 3,000 year tradition. Oh well, such is our age. Too much info, too little thinking.
21. Barbaric practice should be banned
Dovid ,   Haifa   (12.29.12)
22. These parents are preparing ...
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (12.29.12)
their boys lots of frustration. A majority of Jewish girls refuse to marry uncircumcized men. Circumcision at a later age is way more painful than done at eight days.
23. 9 Sagi Is outlawing costums of an
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (12.29.12)
important part of the population democratic?
24. Brit Mila is not only a religious "symbol"
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (12.29.12)
It's also a sign that makes you belong to the Jewish people . Some don't do it because of their opposition to religion . But what if the chilkd asks : Daddy , why didn't you make me a Jew ? Doing it at a later age is much more complicated , not many men like it to be touched there , to undergo surgery .
25. Circumcision has more secular value than religious
Alex   (12.29.12)
The medicinal benefits of circumcision is a bigger motivation than the religious/cultural ones, the procedure prevents several diseases such as HIV, HPV, phimosis, etc. Circumcision should be mandatory for everyone covered under the governmental health insurance (free in Israel) and those who refuses should be stripped of their status as Jews and should have to pay for all diseases/complications that would not have occured if they were circumcised. And for those who're gonna yell mutilation and lack of sensation, no, it doesn't cause any such. I was circumcised in my late teens (due to not having known about my Jewish-ness before) and there's no loss of sexual pleasure, which several studies confirm.
26. #11 False
Alex   (12.29.12)
There are studies performed on hygiene of circumcised and uncircumcised males in the UK, indicating 26% of uncircumcised males have poor genital hygiene compared to only 4% among circumcised males. Hygiene is just one of many causes to circumcise, disease prevention is greater.
27. #18, fine, but ...
Ari ,   Sydney, Australia   (12.29.12)
... it's our collective job today to continue the work of creation and completion. That requires, among other things, a respectful questioning of the old interpretations and understandings. It's my view that Jewish identity, by now, has risen above this physical mark on the male. Having that bit cut off does not automatically make you a "chosen one" and having the penis whole - or having none at all - does not exclude anyone from the company of "chosen ones".
28. Susan, 16
Cipora Julianna Kohn ,   Zion   (12.29.12)
if he cannot go up to the torah, if he cannot get married to a jewish girl in a jewish wedding, then how exactly is he jewish. in the army, he will feel embarassed when the near totality of males are circumcised. it is unfortunate that nowadays many people think that individualism is an absolute value. jewish boys have been circumcised for thousands of years. jews have died for the right to circumcise their sons for thousands of years.
29. 25 Alex,the most important benefit ..
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (12.29.12)
of circumcision is the survival of the Jewish people. Kol Hakavod for your Brit Mila.
30. Alex , 25 Not FREE !
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (12.29.12)
The governement health insurance is not FREE , you pay for it . It's deducted from your salary , pension , Bituach Leumi . If you haven't any of them , you pay "mass Briouth" to the Bituach Leumi .
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