The candidates for New York City mayor have offered their positions on an unexpected issue -- an ancient Jewish ritual in which blood is sucked from the recently circumcised penis of a baby boy.

The ritual, called metzitzah b'peh, is controversial because infants can contract herpes when the mohel, or circumciser, sucks the blood to "cleanse" the circumcision wound. Current New York City law says parents must sign a consent form acknowledging the dangers of metzitzah b'peh before it is performed, a measure passed by the Bloomberg administration.

The mayoral candidates were asked during a Jewish Press forum Wednesday night whether they support the mandatory consent form or would abolish the requirement.