how to arrange circumcision

[roary]

My husband is Jewish, we are expecting a baby boy, and for religious reasons would like him to be circumcised. However DH is not extremely religious and both of us would like it to be done by a doctor rather than a mohel. Anyone have any ideas about how to go about doing this?

Ask your GP, IIRC they really don't like to arrange this unless it's for a medical reason though but I imagine your GP can advise you.

Your GP may be able to advise you or someone in the community may know a doctor who will do it privately for you. It's likely you will have to go private for a non-medical procedure.

Thanks - the community only knows mohels rather than doctors, and we really would prefer not to go down that route. We'd be happy to go private, understand that it's not a medical procedure.

We have our DS circumcised for religious reasons (Muslim). As far as I know the only places that provide circumcision on the NHS are in Bradford and Birmingham, anywhere else and you will need to use a private clinic. There are a few in London, we use one in Luton. Where are you?

Many mohels are doctors as well, but orthodox jewish mohels will not circumcise babies who have a questionable jewish status (ie jewish father, mother not jewish). However this will not be the case with a mohel affiliated to the reform or liberal community. Here is an example of a mohel who is affiliated to the reform/liberal jewish communuty who is also a full time doctor:

link

We used a mohel who was also a doctor for our DS's circumcision (not the one above) - he told us that he circumcises muslim / other non jewis babies privately in his GP surgery.

In fact mohels generally have much more experience than doctors at this procedure as many are doing one a day or at least several a week compared to doctors who are trained to do them but might not do very many at all - although I do share the concern about using a mohel who is not also a doctor.

Otherwise contact your nearest private hospital and they should be able to advise?

Hope thats helpful.

Thanks Boulders and MumNW, that's really helpful. The problem is we are in Oxford, and when I phoned the reform/liberal people they said that they have no one on their books, mohel or otherwise, who does circumcisions here. We'd obviously prefer not to cart our 8 day old son to London or Leeds!

There are Orthodox mohels here but I don't think any are doctors, and we do fall in to that dubious Not Jewish Enough category as I have not converted.

Roary - speak to the dr/mohel from the link I sent in person as he may well be prepared to come to Oxford on the Sunday after the baby is 8 days old (presumably your DH would not be fussed about a few days delay?). It does say on his website he serves the south-east of England. If he is not prepared to come to you he might know a nearby doctor.

I've just emailed him with precisely that request! Hopefully he will have some suggestions if he can't help himself.

The mohel we used is also a practicing hospital doctor and I'm fairly sure that he'll do a non religious circumcision for you. Alternatively I know that you can have it done at The Portland. If you need his info please let me know.

fiveweeksandcounting - DS's mohel explained to me that although he does circumcisions on babies who were not jewish in his doctor's practise (he is a GP) the current policy of the initiation society to which all orthodox mohels are affiliated is that they are not allowed to perform a circumcision (even without a religious ceremony ie in a doctors surgery) on a child of questionable jewish status - just in case the child later says he was circumcised by an orthodox mohel and claims he is jewish.

therefore if your mohel was orthodox he will not oblige in the case of a jewish father and mother who is not jewish even for a non religious circumcision. this is what was explained to me when DS was born 4 years ago - unless perhaps its changed?

You may well be right, the people I know of who used him are not Jewish at all, just wanted a circumcision. All very interesting.

MumNW, Dr Cohen will come to Ox and do it (for a price!) but it is worth doing that rather than heaving the family all over the place. Thanks for the tip!

That's a relief for you - I agree worth the price rather than taking newborn to London, and this way you have it at home - and then its your choice nearer the time whether to have it in private or have a religious ceremony and invite your friends.