Petition: Support Mother Who Resists Court Order to Circumcise Son

Petition here. Text:

'The Jewish Circumcision Resource Center represents Jews around the world who question circumcision and choose not to circumcise their sons.

An Israeli religious court has fined a woman for refusing to circumcise her infant son. The matter is part of an ongoing divorce case. In Israel, religious courts have authority over various family matters like marriage, divorce, and child welfare. Circumcision is viewed as a requirement among religious Jews. Israel has struggled for generations to reconcile its religious and secular traditions.

The woman has said that she does not wish to harm her son. Circumcision has been shown to result in physical, sexual, and psychological harm.

As the caretaker and mother, she has the right to forgo circumcision like thousands of other Israeli parents. No civil law requires circumcision in Israel. When parents disagree, as in this instance, the default position is to let the child decide about circumcision when he is older.

The Jewish Circumcision Resource Center represents Jews around the world who question circumcision and choose not to circumcise their sons.

An Israeli religious court has fined a woman for refusing to circumcise her infant son. The matter is part of an ongoing divorce case. In Israel, religious courts have authority over various family matters like marriage, divorce, and child welfare. Circumcision is viewed as a requirement among religious Jews. Israel has struggled for generations to reconcile its religious and secular traditions.

The woman has said that she does not wish to harm her son. Circumcision has been shown to result in physical, sexual, and psychological harm.

As the caretaker and mother, she has the right to forgo circumcision like thousands of other Israeli parents. No civil law requires circumcision in Israel. When parents disagree, as in this instance, the default position is to let the child decide about circumcision when he is older.

She appealed the case to the Israeli Supreme Court, a civil court, which issued a temporary injunction (restraining order), freezing the rabbinical court’s decree. The father’s response was due in the Supreme Court on January 2, 2014.

We urge you to sign this petition to ask the Israeli Supreme Court to issue its final ruling in favor of this mother’s right to protect her son.

For more information about circumcision, see Jewish Circumcision Resource Center and Circumcision Resource Center.'