The Mosaic Religious Community, which represents Jewish organizations and Jews in Norway, has criticized the Ombudsman for Children for suggesting a lower age limit of 15 years old for the ritual circumcision of boys.

Jewish representatives let their opposition be known in the media after an informal meeting with the ombudsman. The ombudsman himself confirmed that he was considering suggesting an age limit, but had not yet reached a firm conclusion.

The Jewish community organization has sent a letter to foreign minister Jonas Gahr Støre and justice minister Knut Storberget outlining its opposition to the ombud’s idea. “This suggestion is going to go to Jewish media all over the world and support the idea that Norway is a ‘Jew-hating country,” commented the Mosaic Religious Community’s Anne Sender in the letter, reported in newspaper VG. “And we agree – this will in practice mean that ‘Jews don’t have access to the kingdom’ again,” she added.

Sender’s letter was written and delivered before the Norwegian government put forward a proposed change in the law to allow ritual circumcision in public hospitals last week.

The children’s ombudsman in Denmark has suggested a 15 year-old age limit for non-medical circumcisions, apparently referring to the UN’s Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Views and News staff