Brit shalom (naming ceremony)

History

In 1892, some Reform Jewish rabbis stopped requiring circumcision for converts. This was soon followed by the Jewish Religious Union in 1902. The first known Brit shalom ceremony was celebrated by Rabbi Sherwin Wine, the founder of the Society for Humanistic Judaism, around 1970.

In 2002, Dr Mark Reiss opened an online list of rabbis and others who would celebrate Brit Shalom. It was later moved to its own website.

In 2021, Bruchim, an organisation of Jews advocating for the acceptance of non-circumcision within Judaism, was founded by Lisa Braver Moss and Rebecca Wald. In 2022, Dr Reiss's list was incorporated into the Bruchim website.

Ceremony

There is no universally agreed upon form of Brit Shalom. Some involve the washing of the baby's feet, called Brit rechitzah. Some Brit shalom ceremonies are performed by a rabbi, others by a lay person.

Popularity

The actual number of brit shalom ceremonies performed per year is unknown. Filmmaker Eli Ungar-Sargon, who is opposed to circumcision, said in 2011, regarding its current popularity, that "calling it a marginal phenomenon would be generous." A survey conducted by the Jewish Journal among mohalim and brit shalom celebrants in the Los Angeles area investigated this claim and found that it is fairly rare. The survey also includes an outlier, Moshe Rothenberg who estimated he's performed 150-200 ceremonies for boys without circumcision. Its popularity in the United States, where it has been promoted by groups such as Beyond the Bris and Jews Against Circumcision, is increasing, however. Even in Israel, more and more parents choose not to circumcise their sons. In 2018, Reform Rabbi Jonathan Romain said to Times of Israel that the concept was of increasing interest, especially for interfaith couples.

Recognition

Orthodox Jews consider an intended failure to follow this commandment as bringing forth the penalty of kareth, or being "cut off" from the community and from Hashem, as well as being indicative of a conscious decision to cut oneself off from one's people. However, even in the most Orthodox groups, Jewish identity is defined by matrilineal descent; a child born to a Jewish mother is recognized as Jewish, regardless of the status of the genitals.

In Progressive Judaism, although refusing circumcision is frowned upon, uncircumcised boys are usually accepted for religious training and bar mitzvah if they are sons of a Jewish mother and have been raised with a Jewish identity. Movements that do not see Jewish law as binding, such as Reform Judaism and Humanistic Judaism, may permit it.

References

References

1. Boorstein, Michelle. (2013-12-28). "A small but growing number of Jews are questioning the ancient ritual of circumcision". [[Washington Post]].
2. Ghert-Zand, Renee. (2011-06-16). "The Jewish Opposition to Circumcision".
3. Harris, Ben. (2021-10-07). "These Jews want to normalize not circumcising — and they want synagogues to help".
4. Victor, Jacob. (2007-07-18). "Activists Up Efforts To Cut Circumcision Out of Bris Ritual".
5. May, Ali. (2019-07-17). "Child Protection Laws Are Clear –Except When It Comes To Male Circumcision".
6. (2016-01-22). "LCSHJ Resolutions". [[Society for Humanistic Judaism]].
7. "The Jewish parents cutting out the bris".
8. "Resolution on Anti-Circumcision Initiatives".
9. Diamant, Anita. "The Covenant of Circumcision".
10. Moss, Lisa Braver. (2015-02-06). "For families choosing not to circumcise, a sea change". San Francisco Jewish Community Publications Inc..
11. (2016-04-06). "Humanistic Judaism and anti-circumcision Intactivism". [[Jewish Business News]].
12. Lowenfeld, Jonah. (2 August 2011). "Little-known non-cutting ritual appeals to some who oppose circumcision". [[The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles]].
13. . (August 26, 2018). ["What was new on the Intactivism Pages"](https://www.circumstitions.com/Whatsold.html).
14. Reiss, Mark. (December 21, 2021). "Brit Shalom Celebrants". Tilted.com.
15. . ["Bruchim.online"](https://www.bruchim.online/press-releases-coming-soon/).
16. Lowenfeld, Jonah. (2011-08-02). "Little-known non-cutting ritual appeals to some who oppose circumcision".
17. "The Circumcision Debate".
18. (2011-08-26). "Jewish Voices: The Current Judaic Movement to End Circumcision". [[The Salem News]].
19. Greenberg, Zoe. (2017-07-25). "When Jewish Parents Decide Not to Circumcise". [[The New York Times]].
20. Bradley Hagerty, Barbara. (2011-07-25). "Circumcision: Rite Faces Modern Concerns". [[NPR]].
21. Silvers, Emma. (2012-01-06). "Brit shalom is catching on, for parents who dont want to circumcise their child". San Francisco Jewish Community Publications Inc..
22. Ahituv, Netta. (2012-06-14). "Even in Israel, More and More Parents Choose Not to Circumcise Their Sons". [[Haaretz]].
23. Wald, Rebecca. "Circumcision doesn't make someone Jewish". [[Times of Israel]].
24. (1906). "Circumcision". [[Kopelman Foundation]].
25. Moss, Lisa Braver. (2014-02-14). "Choosing not to circumcise last frontier of Jewish inclusion". San Francisco Jewish Community Publications Inc..