SERVICES PROVIDED

BRIT MILAH “BRIS”

Brit Milah is the ceremony in which a newborn Jewish boy, through the ritual of circumcision, is brought into the covenant (Brit Milah) on the eighth day of life. The circumcision is performed by an individual called a Mohel, who acts as the agent for the parents, who are ultimately responsible for circumcising their son. In liberal Judaism, a Mohel can be either male or female.

The covenant (Brit) represents the relationship between each Jewish person and God, and by extension, represents the relationship each Jewish person has with the entire Jewish people. When we perform the ritual of Brit Milah, we are celebrating the birth of a baby and his entry into the Jewish people. Our commitment to this relationship has allowed our people to survive for more than 4,000 years.

MILAH L’SHEM GERUT

This is a circumcision ceremony which is performed in cases where the birth mother of the child is not Jewish. Parents are encouraged to speak with their Rabbi regarding the process of conversion after the Bris. If the family is unaffiliated with a Rabbi, the mohel will refer them to a Rabbi to learn more about the process of conversion for the baby. The Milah L’Shem Gerut represents the first step toward formal conversion of the baby to Judaism.

HATAFAT DAM BRIT

This ceremony is for boys or men who have already been circumcised and are engaged in the process of conversion to Judaism. It involves drawing a drop of blood from the skin on the shaft of the penis. This is an almost painless procedure which is usually done in the Mohel/Mohelet’s office.

OLDER CHILDREN AND ADULTS

For men or older children (greater than 6 weeks of age) who are converting to Judaism or have a Jewish mother and have not been previously circumcised, a full circumcision is necessary. The procedure includes the appropriate blessings to represent a seamless and joyous stage of his journey into Judaism. For children over 6 weeks of age, please contact Dr. Michael Kogon, Dr. Martin Koyle or Dr. Jacob Langer. For men over 18 years of age, please contact Dr. Michael Kogon or Dr. Martin Koyle to discuss this further.

CREATIVE SERVICES

Each Brit Milah ceremony has a series of prescribed blessings, and each of our Mohalim uses these blessings to provide a meaningful ceremony for our families. We also encourage our parents, if they wish, to enhance their child’s Bris by involving grandparents and members of the extended family, or by working with the Mohel or the Rabbi to create an individualized service for their child. For example, the Naming ceremony can include an explanation of the meaning of the child’s name and recognition of the person for whom he has been named.

AFTERCARE

After the Brit Milah is completed, the Mohel will fully review the baby’s post-procedure care and describe what to expect regarding the healing process in the days ahead.