{"id":816,"date":"2013-08-24T17:27:46","date_gmt":"2013-08-24T17:27:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/circinfosite.com\/?p=816"},"modified":"2013-08-24T17:28:40","modified_gmt":"2013-08-24T17:28:40","slug":"what-is-a-jewish-brit-shalom-covenant-without-cutting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/circinfosite.com\/index.php\/human-rights\/what-is-a-jewish-brit-shalom-covenant-without-cutting\/","title":{"rendered":"What is a Jewish Brit Shalom (Covenant Without Cutting)?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>A &#8216;Bloodless Bris&#8217; is Becoming Popular Among American Jews<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>ARTICLE |\u00a0<time property=\"dc:issued\" datatype=\"xsd:dateTime\" datetime=\"2013-08-13\" content=\"2013-08-13T09:37:32-04:00\">AUGUST 13, 2013 &#8211; 9:37AM<\/time><\/div>\n<div>\n<div><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" title=\"Jewish family welcomes baby boy with rechitzah (feet washing) instead of circumcision.\" src=\"http:\/\/intactnews.org\/sites\/default\/files\/imagecache\/400xY\/brit-shalom-feet-washing.jpg\" alt=\"Jewish family welcomes baby boy with rechitzah (feet washing) instead of circumcision.\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" \/><\/p>\n<div>At this Bris Shalom, the parents washed their son&#8217;s feet (Brit Rechitzah) as a symbolic sign of Jewish covenant and welcoming, rather than circumcising him. Other aspects of the service involved honoring of the parents and grandparents and giving the son his Hebrew name.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Increasingly, Jewish parents in America, Canada and Israel are skipping circumcision. Instead, they are holding alternative ceremonies sometimes called\u00a0<em>Bris Shalom<\/em>or\u00a0<em>Brit B\u2019lee Milah<\/em>\u00a0(covenant without cutting). Many Jews throughout Europe and the former Soviet Union stopped circumcising over 100 years ago. Already well\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.circumstitions.com\/Jewish-Shalom.html\">over 100 Rabbis<\/a>\u00a0are performing alternative covenant ceremonies that omit the surgical circumcision. These are gaining popularity both in America and worldwide.<\/p>\n<p>Circumcision is Needless Violence<\/p>\n<p>As 21st century Jews, we are always working to adjust our lives and actions to the constantly expanding moral arc of human rights. A greater number of\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewsagainstcircumcision.org\/\">American<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.circumstitions.com\/Jewish-shalom.html\">Canadian<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.kahal.org\/\">Israeli<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.beyondthebris.com\/\">Jews worldwide<\/a>\u00a0are beginning to question\u00a0<em>milah<\/em>\u00a0(the surgical circumcision) aspect of the\u00a0<em>bris<\/em>. Is it wishful thinking to hope that Judaism in today&#8217;s age moves to a symbolic interpretation of circumcision, as it has already done for other violent commandments from the Torah? Jewish law is constantly evolving to expand human rights and ethical treatment of others. Jewish law regularly reinterprets violent decrees in metaphorical and symbolic ways, so as to avoid harming others.<a href=\"http:\/\/www.beyondthebris.com\/\">Increasingly forward thinking Jews<\/a>\u00a0are adopting\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.circumstitions.com\/Jewish-shalom.html\">peaceful covenant ceremonies<\/a>\u00a0that abolish the surgical circumcision in favor of a loving welcoming instead.<\/p>\n<p>For over ten years,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.circumstitions.com\/Jewish-shalom.html\">Mark Reiss, MD<\/a>, a Jewish doctor and co-founder of\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org\/\">Doctors Opposing Circumcision<\/a>\u00a0has published a list of Rabbis who will celebrate a bloodless Bris Shalom. Among the members on this list are Rabbis with intact grandsons and Rabbis who after decades of officiating at circumcisions, have come to the conclusion that they can no longer ethically continue. Many parents are also finding that their regular Rabbi or Cantor are happy to do so as well, even if they are not on this list. Jewish parents can find a Rabbi, or Cantor to lead a Brit without cutting on this\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.circumstitions.com\/Jewish-shalom.html\">Bris Shalom Celebrants List<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Here some of these Jewish parents share their experiences and thoughts on the development of new Jewish rituals and the morals and ethics that inspired them.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We did not circumcise my son. Instead, we created a beautiful, gentle welcoming ceremony to celebrate his entry into the Jewish people and the world\u00a0 community. Instead of a *bris milah*, there was a *bris blee milah*- a covenant without circumcision. We reinterpreted the notion of covenant to mean the commitment that we, his parents made, publicly, to bring him up with love, respect, openness, and gentleness. Friends lit candles for him and shared blessings and poems for him, some in traditional Hebrew, others specially written for the occasion. We had music, prayers, songs, dancing, and we spoke about the meanings of his names and about our decision not to circumcise him&#8230; I say this as a Jew actively involved in both cultural and religious aspects of my community. I also say it to you directly from the Jewish tradition, specifically from the Talmudic imperative of pikuach nefesh. Pikuach nefesh means the duty to save a life in any situation in which it is imperiled, whether directly by danger or serious illness, or indirectly by a condition which is not serious but cute deteriorate. It is clear to me that circumcision of an eight-day old infant is such a condition, and one could therefore make an argument from within the tradition for outlawing circumcision. The Talmud goes on to say (Hul. 10a): &#8220;One should be more particular about matters concerning life and health than about ritual observances.&#8221; It insists (Yoma 85a and b) that even the laws of the Sabbath may &#8211; indeed must be broken to give necessary medical treatment&#8230; Let us note that keeping the Sabbath is one of the ten commandments, circumcision is not.<br \/>\nJewish law is not, contrary to popular misconception, set in stone. It is an evolving process which began with the early Talmudists and continues to this day, taking into account new developments in science and understanding in the secular world.&#8221;<br \/>\n&#8211; Jenny Goodman,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/link.springer.com\/book\/10.1007\/b102182\/page\/1\">A Jewish Perspective on Circumcision<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Twenty-five years ago my husband and I did something few Jewish parents had. We held a brit shalom ceremony for our son as opposed to a brit milah&#8230; We had a friend who was a rabbi in education, but without a pulpit. It was novel for him to do a brit without mila, but he was willing to do it and risk it. There was also a rabbi in Marin County who was known to do a brit shalom. He was known as a hippie rabbi. He also was willing to do this for us. So we had two rabbis&#8230;. My son was around eight when he learned about circumcision and the fact he is intact&#8230;. I explained to him what circumcision is, and that it was novel that he was Jewish and not circumcised because we opposed it. I don\u2019t think he minded not being circumcised. I think he was appalled that anyone would have considered cutting off part of his penis&#8230; Being intact hasn\u2019t stopped my son from being involved with Judaism. He had a bar mitzvah and did the whole service except for Shachrit, including a dvar Torah&#8230;. He did a year of modern Hebrew at college (that is all they offered). He currently goes to Hillel or to a local synagogue every Shabbat in Ann Arbor where he is a grad student. When he\u2019s home he is eager to go to Torah study with us on Saturday mornings at the Reform congregation. For someone his age who was not raised as an Orthodox Jew, he is very knowledgeable about Judaism and very interested&#8230; Choosing to leave our boy intact hasn\u2019t diminished our Jewish involvement. My husband and I belong to two congregations in Palo Alto, California. We\u2019ve belonged to the Conservative synagogue for at least 25 years and are associate members of the Reform temple where we attend Torah study. I am a member of the Jewish Community Relations Council.&#8221;<br \/>\n&#8211; Natalie Bivas,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.beyondthebris.com\/2012\/04\/choosing-brit-shalom-over-brit-milah.html\">Choosing Brit Shalom Over Brit Milah<\/a>, BeyondtheBris.com, April 24, 2012.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s been a (long) half month since George&#8217;s birthday, birthday party and naming ceremony. The week was a little harried, a little different than I&#8217;d imagined, but in the end everything worked out beautifully. The fog lifted in San Francisco just in time for George&#8217;s aunties to make it and in the absence of challah or a mohel, my baby got his Hebrew name just the same.<br \/>\nWhen I was researching the bris shalom, I found very few resources online for parents who, like us, were trying to welcome and name their son\u2026 We\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nocirc.org\/symposia\/second\/rothenberg.html\">found<\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nocircofmi.org\/BrisShalom.htm\">some<\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nocirc.org\/religion\/Naming_ceremony.php\">scripts<\/a>\u00a0and sat down together to craft a ceremony with only the meaningful-to-us and none of the extras or concessions. The result was a short, sweet and informal gathering with babies running around, friends and family sharing well wishes, bread and honey and &#8212; most importantly &#8212; an intact baby boy with a brand-spankin&#8217;-new Hebrew name.<br \/>\n<em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.veryveryfine.com\/imported-20101215221410\/2010\/12\/29\/the-naming.html\">Here is the script<\/a>.<\/em><br \/>\nI realize this won&#8217;t be a riveting post for most people, but my hope is that someone might stumble across it while researching for their own son&#8217;s bris shalom, and find a useful bit or support for the somewhat thankless task of naming an intact Jewish boy\u2026\u201d<br \/>\n&#8211; Stefanie,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.veryveryfine.com\/imported-20101215221410\/2010\/12\/29\/the-naming.html\">The Naming<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.veryveryfine.com\/imported-20101215221410\/2010\/12\/29\/the-naming.html\">Very, Very Fine<\/a>, December 29, 2010.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The Jewish opposition to circumcision was just beginning 24 years ago when my wife Yehudit and I decided to leave our newborn son intact. We were not the only Jewish parents of our generation to reject circumcision, but we were among the first.<br \/>\nI performed my son\u2019s birth ceremony and it was beautiful. We called it a brit b\u2019lee milah or \u201ccovenant without circumcision.\u201d The gift of life came unencumbered by any cutting and joy permeated the room&#8230;<br \/>\nSamuel was accepted and welcomed everywhere he went, in and out of the Jewish community, and within all of the relationships we had among the different Jewish denominations, including our Orthodox Jewish friends. To my knowledge, no one ever teased Samuel while he was growing up about his being in a distinct minority as a Jew with an intact penis&#8230;.<br \/>\nSamuel\u2019s birth ceremony was the first that I conducted, but would not be the last. Over the past several decades, I have officiated at more than a hundred birth ceremonies for intact Jewish boys in New York City, New Jersey and Connecticut. The ceremony I have developed includes blessings associated with it being a joyous event (candle lighting and Shehechiyanu); honoring the parents and grandparents; and creating, along with the parents, a meaningful alternate ritual. Non-cutting ceremonies for Jewish boys are called by different names, including \u201cbrit b\u2019lee milah\u201d (covenant without cutting), \u201cbrit shalom\u201d or \u201cbris shalom\u201d (covenant of peace), \u201cbrit ben\u201d (covenant for a boy)&#8230;<br \/>\nJudaism has evolved through centuries. It is inevitable and right that parts of Judaism have changed. We who oppose infant circumcision believe further change is needed. Circumcision, despite its historic centrality, has to go. It is nothing short of child abuse. No parent or religious leader would ever choose to carry out or endorse such a heinous act if they held this point of view.&#8221;<br \/>\n&#8211; Moshe Rothenberg,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.beyondthebris.com\/2012\/03\/bringing-jewish-circumcision.html\">Bringing a Jewish Circumcision Alternative (Brit Shalom) to New York Metro Families<\/a>, Beyondthebris.com, March 17, 2012.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;for a number of reasons\u2014personal, social, and political, Steph and I have decided not to perform a bris milah, but instead wanted to have a welcoming ceremony\u2014a bris shalom or bris b\u2019li milah (a ceremony without cutting). In following this part of ancient Jewish custom, we mark the beginning of our commitment to raise him in the Jewish cultural tradition&#8230; By this ceremony your mother and I formally welcome you to our world and our family. As we name you today we undertake our traditional responsibilities as your parents to take you forward into the world as we know it, to love you, to guide you, to educate you, and to cherish you. You are whole, complete, and perfect. We promise you, before our family gathered here today in your honor, to do our very best for you each and every day hereafter.&#8221;<br \/>\n&#8211; Lar,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/stephari.com\/ari\/Welcoming%20Celebration\/bris_shalom_ceremony.htm\">The Bris Shalom Ceremony<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you take the religion out of circumcision, and really look at what the procedure actually involves, it is easy to see why more and more people are choosing to leave their sons intact. I thank my lucky stars for the Internet and the information it provided me on circumcision (as well as a million other mommy related questions). The Internet has allowed me to question the status quo; to find out why things are the way they are. A privilege our foremothers did not have. For me, the mere thought of giving birth to my precious baby at home without any medical intervention and then cutting off a part of his body eight days later just seemed absurd. I told myself that if G-d created my son with a foreskin, then he was going to keep it.\u201d<br \/>\n&#8211; Stacey Greenberg,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/mothering.com\/health\/my-son-the-little-jew-with-a-foreskin\">My Son: The Little Jew with a Foreskin<\/a>, Mothering Magazine.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI knew we weren\u2019t the first Jewish parents to keep our child intact; what did everyone else do? The internet provided a few\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.interfaithfamily.com\/life_cycle\/pregnancy_and_birth_ceremonies\/Sample_Non-Cutting_Naming_Ceremony_1.shtml\">examples<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.interfaithfamily.com\/life_cycle\/pregnancy_and_birth_ceremonies\/Sample_Non-Cutting_Naming_Ceremony_2.shtml\">Bris shalom ceremonies<\/a>\u2026 Since our Bris shalom, I\u2019ve run across<a href=\"http:\/\/www.veryveryfine.com\/imported-20101215221410\/2010\/12\/29\/the-naming.html\">others<\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.beyondthebris.com\/2011\/04\/lucking-into-bris-shalom.html\">in the<\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mothering.com\/health\/my-son-little-jew-foreskin\">same<\/a>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.beyondthebris.com\/2011\/05\/how-cut-saved-my-sons-foreskin-movie.html\">predicament<\/a>; I\u2019ve had conversations about whether or not we made the right choice (we did), if my son is \u201cactually Jewish\u201d (he is), and if we would make the same choice again (we would). The only thing I would change is my own hesitation. If there\u2019s anything the past year and a half of parenting has taught me, it\u2019s to trust the instincts that keep my child safe and happy.\u2026 And when our son inevitably holds us accountable, as kids seem wont to do, I look forward to saying, \u201cWe thought you were already perfect,\u201d rather than \u201cIt seemed like the thing to do.\u201d<br \/>\n&#8211; Pamela,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/naturalparentsnetwork.com\/intact-and-jewish\">Intact and Jewish<\/a>, Natural Parents Network, July 14th, 2011.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSorry to disappoint, but that&#8217;s the end of our story. Or at least the end of the story of Zachary&#8217;s bris. There was no circumcision on that day. We had decided not to circumcise our son. Although he enters a world filled with violence, he would enter it without violence done to him. Although he will no doubt suffer many cuts and scrapes during his life, he would not bleed by our hand\u2026 We welcomed Zachary into our family on that morning without a circumcision. We decided that we want him to live in a world without violence, so we welcomed him without violence. We decided that we want him to live in world in which he is free to experience the fullness of the pleasures of his body, so we welcomed him with all his fleshy nerves intact. And we decided that we want him to live in a world in which male entitlement is a waning memory, and in which women and men are seen&#8211;in both ritual and in reality&#8211;as full equals and partners. So we welcomed him equally, his mother and I, in the time-honored way that desert cultures have always welcomed strangers to their tents: We washed his feet.\u201d<br \/>\n&#8211; Michael S. Kimmel, 2001.\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.tikkun.org\/article.php?story=may2001_kimmel\">The Kindest Un-Cut<\/a>. Tikkun 16(3): 43.<br \/>\nJEWISH INTACTIVIST LINK LIST<\/p>\n<p>Jewish Intactivist Resources and Groups<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cutthefilm.com\/\">Cut: Slicing Through the Myths of Circumcision<\/a>, A film by an Orthodox Jewish Intactivist &lt;\/&gt;.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewsagainstcircumcision.org\/\">Jews Against Circumcision<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishcircumcision.org\/\">Questioning Circumcision: A Jewish Perspective,<\/a>\u00a0By Ron Goldman, Ph.D.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.beyondthebris.com\/\">Beyond the Bris<\/a>\u00a0by Rebecca Wald. (A Jewish Intactivist Weblog.)<\/p>\n<p>Israeli Intactivist Groups (Mostly in Hebrew)<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/britmila.org.il\/\">The Israeli Association Against Circumcision \/ Intact Son<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.gonnen.org\/\">Protect the Child<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.kahal.org\/\">Kahal<\/a>\u00a0(Group for Israeli Parents of Intact Sons)<\/p>\n<p>Peaceful Covenant Texts for Jewish Parents<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vadimcherny.org\/judaism\/how_judaic_circumcision.htm\">HowJudaic is the circumcision?<\/a>\u00a0An Israeli Hebrew scholar on Biblical intactivism.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.circumstitions.com\/Jewish-shalom.html\">100+ Rabbis who lead covenant without cutting ceremonies worldwide.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.nocirc.org\/religion\/Naming_ceremony.php\">Brit B&#8217;lee Milah Ceremony<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/stephari.com\/ari\/Welcoming%20Celebration\/bris_shalom_ceremony.htm\">A Brit Shalom Ceremony<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/nocirc.org\/religion\/song.php\">Song for an Intact Jewish Boy\u2019s Welcoming.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Judaism, the Foreskin and Human Rights<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/intactnews.org\/node\/142\/1327690351\/progressive-rabbis-creating-jewish-covenant-without-circumcision\">Rabbis on a Covenant without Circumcision<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.intactnews.org\/node\/104\/1311886091\/jewish-voices-current-judaic-movement-end-circumcision-part-1\">Jewish Spirituality, the Foreskin, and Human Rights<\/a>\u00a0| Part 1.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.intactnews.org\/node\/105\/1311886372\/jewish-voices-current-judaic-movement-end-circumcision-part-2\">Jewish Spirituality, the Foreskin, and Human Rights<\/a>\u00a0| Part 2.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.intactnews.org\/node\/112\/1313862929\/jewish-voices-current-judaic-movement-end-circumcision-part-3\">Jewish Spirituality, the Foreskin, and Human Rights<\/a>\u00a0| Part 3.<\/p>\n<p>Jewish Intactivist Families: Jewish Parents&#8217; Experiences Keeping their Sons Intact<\/p>\n<p>Laura Shanley:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.unassistedchildbirth.com\/miscarticles\/circarticle.html\">A Jewish Woman Denounces Circumcision<\/a>\u00a0| A Jewish Childbirth Educator keeps her sons intact.<br \/>\nMoshe Rothenberg:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.nocirc.org\/symposia\/second\/rothenberg.htmlhttp:\/www.nocirc.org\/symposia\/second\/rothenberg.html\">Ending Circumcision in the Jewish Community?<\/a>\u00a0| Envisioning an Intactivist Judaism.<br \/>\nMichael Kimmel:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cirp.org\/pages\/cultural\/kimmel1\">The Kindest Un-Cut: Feminism, Judaism, and My Son&#8217;s Foreskin<\/a>\u00a0| Published in Tikkun<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/naturalparentsnetwork.com\/intact-and-jewish\">Intact &amp; Jewish<\/a>\u00a0| Published on the Natural Parents Network<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.veryveryfine.com\/imported-20101215221410\/2010\/12\/29\/the-naming.html\">The Naming<\/a>\u00a0| Published on Very, Very Fine<br \/>\nDiane Targovnik:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.beyondthebris.com\/2011\/05\/how-cut-saved-my-sons-foreskin-movie.html\">How &#8220;Cut&#8221; Saved My Son&#8217;s Foreskin: A Movie Review<\/a>\u00a0| Published on Beyond the Bris.<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/intactnews.org\/node\/168\/1341064800\/humanistic-judaism-increasingly%C2%A0critical-of%C2%A0child-circumcision\">Humanistic Judaism is Increasingly Intactivist<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewishcircumcision.org\/calijbulletin1985.htm\">Circumcision Questions (letter from an intact Jew)<\/a>. |\u00a0 Published in the Northern California Jewish Bulletin.<a href=\"http:\/\/forward.com\/articles\/137577\/outlawing-circumcision\"><br \/>\nOutlawing Circumcision: Good for the Jews?<\/a>\u00a0By Eli Ungar-Sargon. Published in the Jewish Daily Forward.<br \/>\nDear Elijah:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.drmomma.org\/2009\/12\/jewish-fathers-letter-to-his-son.html\">A Conservative Jewish Father&#8217;s Letter to His Intact Son<\/a>\u00a0| Published on Peaceful Parenting.<br \/>\nStacey Greenberg:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mothering.com\/health\/my-son-the-little-jew-with-a-foreskin\">My Son: The Little Jew with a Foreskin<\/a>\u00a0| Published in Mothering Magazine.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>RELATED CONTENT:<\/div>\n<div>\n<div><a href=\"http:\/\/intactnews.org\/node\/142\/1327690351\/progressive-rabbis-creating-jewish-covenant-without-circumcision\">Progressive Rabbis On Creating A Jewish Covenant Without Circumcision<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><strong>RELATED TERMS:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div><a href=\"http:\/\/intactnews.org\/topics\/Male%20Genital%20Cutting\">Male Genital Cutting<\/a><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"http:\/\/intactnews.org\/topics\/Judaism\">Judaism<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><a href=\"http:\/\/intactnews.org\/node\/296\/1376401052\/what-jewish-brit-shalom-covenant-without-cutting\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/intactnews.org\/node\/296\/1376401052\/what-jewish-brit-shalom-covenant-without-cutting<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A &#8216;Bloodless Bris&#8217; is Becoming Popular Among American Jews ARTICLE |\u00a0AUGUST 13, 2013 &#8211; 9:37AM At this Bris Shalom, the parents washed their son&#8217;s feet (Brit Rechitzah) as a symbolic sign of Jewish covenant and welcoming, rather than circumcising him.&hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-human-rights","category-jewish-intactivism"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/circinfosite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/816","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/circinfosite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/circinfosite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/circinfosite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/circinfosite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=816"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/circinfosite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/816\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":832,"href":"http:\/\/circinfosite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/816\/revisions\/832"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/circinfosite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/circinfosite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/circinfosite.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}