{"id":446,"date":"2011-10-11T21:39:00","date_gmt":"2011-10-11T21:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theatheistrabbi\/2011\/10\/a-resource-guide-to-the-intactivist-no-circumcision-movement.html"},"modified":"2011-10-11T21:39:00","modified_gmt":"2011-10-11T21:39:00","slug":"a-resource-guide-to-the-intactivist-no-circumcision-movement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/theatheistrabbi\/2011\/10\/a-resource-guide-to-the-intactivist-no-circumcision-movement.html","title":{"rendered":"A Resource Guide To The “Intactivist” (No Circumcision) Movement"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
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I have received so many e-mails in response to my recent post about circumcision. \u00a0This is obviously a big issue for many people. \u00a0One of the greatest barriers to changing the mindset about it is that rabbis (and others) make people feel quite guilty and isolated as a result of their desire to avoid harming their newborn child.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Well, there\u2019s not much we can do about guilt except to point out that there\u2019s absolutely no reason for otherwise modern, liberal Jews to observe this dubious \u201cmitzvah.\u201d \u00a0Most of us have no problem dropping superstitious Jewish rituals that have no meaning in our time. \u00a0Avoiding this one should give them no cause for additional concern.<\/div>\n
As for the isolation, here\u2019s a helping hand. \u00a0It\u2019s a complete resource, sent to me for publication on this blog. \u00a0I am pleased to oblige:<\/div>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

Judaism, The Foreskin, and Human Rights<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are tens of thousands of intact Jewish boys and men around the world who thank their lucky stars they were not circumcised.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013 Brian Levitt, Jewish Intactivist and co-founder of\u00a0Jews for the Rights of the Child<\/a>,\u00a0Testimony at the California Senate Judiciary Committee Public Hearing on Circumcision<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026As a progressive Reform Jew I was raised to believe that any conflict between human rights and Jewish law and\/or tradition, is always resolved in favor of human rights, and that this does not diminish Judaism, but in fact makes it stronger\u2026 So when does circumcision become a bad idea?\u00a0 If a single child suffers from it directly, or indirectly from complications, or \u2026 a single child should die (which is not common but does happen) isn\u2019t that enough warrant a re-evaluation? \u2026 I believe it is time for the Reform movement to consider how contemporary medical and ethical studies on circumcision put the practice at odds with its cherished values of human rights and social justice \u2014 values which, in my opinion, are truly what defines and are central to Judaism.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2013 Thomas Wolfe,\u00a0Why do we need an alternative Brit Milah (Bris) ceremony?<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s not a parental choice. There\u2019s an ethical problem with making this a parental choice, namely that you\u2019re not taking into account the wishes upon whom the surgery is being performed.\u201d<\/p>\n

-Eliyahu Ungar-Sargon, Jewish Intactivist, Georgetown University, September 22, 2011, Q&A with Ryan McAllister & Rabbi Binyamin Biber Podcast<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Jewish Intactivist Groups in the USA:<\/p>\n