Petition Sent to Israeli Supreme Court About Circumcision

Over 35,000 Support Mother Who Resists Court Order to Circumcise Son.



ISRAEL: Jewish Mom Makes Case for Intactivism.



(BOSTON) - The Jewish Circumcision Resource Center, representing Jews around the world who question circumcision and choose not to circumcise their sons, submitted a petition to the Israeli Supreme Court. It supports a mother who wants to forgo circumcision and has over 35,000 signatures.

The Israeli mother was ordered by a rabbinical court in November to circumcise her son. She resisted the order and appealed the case to the Israeli Supreme Court, a civil court. The hearing is scheduled for Feb. 25. The matter is part of an ongoing divorce case. In Israel, religious courts have authority over various family matters like marriage, divorce, and child welfare. Circumcision is viewed as a requirement among religious Jews. Israel has struggled for generations to reconcile its religious and secular traditions.

The woman has said that she does not wish to harm her son. Circumcision has been shown to result in physical, sexual, and psychological harm. Ronald Goldman, Ph.D., JCRC Executive Director, stated, "We do not think any parent should be compelled to circumcise a son, and we are pleased about the wide global support for this petition."

As the caretaker and mother, she wants to avoid circumcision like thousands of other Israeli parents. No civil law requires circumcision in Israel. When parents disagree, as in this instance, the default position is to let the child decide about circumcision when he is older.

ABOUT JCRC

One purpose of the Jewish Circumcision Resource Center is to make known to the Jewish community that there is a growing number of Jews who either have not circumcised their son or would choose not to circumcise a future son. To support and expand the American and international circumcision debate, it is also important to inform the general public, media sources, and professionals of the existence of Jews who do not circumcise.

Another purpose is to gather and disseminate information about the experiences of those who choose not to circumcise and add to the growing understanding and acceptance of alternatives to circumcision in the Jewish community. The Jewish Circumcision Resource Center is a section of the Circumcision Resource Center, a non-profit educational organization.

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