Sadly, circumcision is under attack. Though perhaps I should rephrase that as: sadly, circumcision is under attack again. For certain groups have long led a campaign against it, although they have never succeeded… so far.
The latest assault came in the wake of an inquest into the death of six-month-old Mohamed Abdisamad, who died in hospital in London, following an infection resulting from his circumcision three days earlier.
It was not a mohel who had performed the circumcision, but two unfortunate consequences arose for the Jewish community. One is that we are tarnished with the same brush and that our mohelim – usually highly trained and regulated – are seen in the same light as rogue circumcisers who lack any proper medical training.
The other effect is that the cry goes up: “If FGM [Female Genital Mutilation] is now a criminal offence, why should we not ban male genital mutilation and make it equally illegal?”
In fact, the Crime Prosecution Service’s new draft guidance states that circumcision can be a “painful and harmful practice” and “may be a form of child abuse”.
The CPS said it was consulting faith groups, but if this view was maintained it could lead to an outright ban.
Outlawing circumcision may be unlikely – to be honest, will the government want to antagonise just under four million Muslim voters? – but more likely is that the verdict of the coroner in the Abdisamad case will be followed through.
Dr van Dellen stated that there are no national safeguards governing non-therapeutic circumcision, with no requirements for training, accreditation or registration of those carrying out the operations, and no rules of record-keeping, infection control or aftercare – a situation he deemed unacceptable and one which needed attention.
He declared: “In my opinion, there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken.”
It is vital, therefore, that the Jewish community makes sure that its own house is in order – not just to stave off criticism or prevent external interference, but because we owe to our own families, both to guarantee the safety of male newborns and to ensure parents have full confidence in our procedures.
Both the (Orthodox) Initiation Society and the Association of Reform and Liberal Mohelim already have high standards, and while speaking personally as the father of four sons, their circumcisions were all fine – but I think we can be even more robust in our procedures.
One step is to ensure that all mohelim are medically qualified, be it doctors or surgeons. Parents need to know they are not only religiously trained, but medically too.
As for the critics, some will oppose circumcision whatever we do
I am currently setting up a scheme for training a new generation of Progressive mohelim, and no one will be considered unless they have such accreditation.
It will be registered with the Charity Commission and Care Quality Commission, with all mohelim rigorously trained, operations monitored and annual reports issued.
Another step is to outlaw the fast declining but still present practice of metzitzah. Whatever the historic justification, it is no longer appropriate.
A third step is to ensure that the ceremony is not just a matter of a surgical snip or of uttering Hebrew texts but is as meaningful as possible.
The mohel needs to be user-friendly, explain the history going back to the very first Jew and why circumcision is such a powerful symbol of one generation handing over Jewish identity to the next.
Yes, circumcision may also have health benefits, but it is much more profound than that, and even Jews who break most other commands, keep this one.
As for the critics, some will oppose circumcision whatever we do and however safe, but it is worth pointing out that Queen Elizabeth II not only had her three sons circumcised but asked a mohel to carry out the procedure rather than the Court surgeon, as the former was deemed the greater expert. I do not recall anyone accusing the late Queen of child abuse.
Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain is convenor of the Reform Beit Din
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