West Coast Mohel

Mazel Tov!

The decision to give your newborn son a Bris is an important one for new parents. This is the first in what will hopefully be a long line of Jewish milestones in the life that you share together as a family.

As a mohel, I am specifically trained in the medical and surgical techniques of circumcision. I received my training and certification from the world renowned Chief Mohel of Israel, the late Rabbi Yoseph Dovid Weisberg. Rabbi Weisberg was affectionately known as "Rav Yossele" and performed over 100,000 ceremonies in his lifetime. It was an honor and privilege to learn from him. I perfected my skills at Jerusalem's Shaare Tzedek Hospital.

In addition to being a mohel, I also have my Rabbinical Ordination and have been involved with Jewish education since 1990. I am the director of The Jerusalem Learning Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to teaching individuals and groups the beauty, meaning and relevance of our rich heritage. I believe that a bris milah should also be a meaningful experience for all those present. Therefore, I use my teaching experience to explain the ceremony and give insights to its many facets.

Too often families today decide to forgo the Bris ceremony and choose to have the circumcision done in the hospital. However, you should be aware that there are differences between hospital and home circumcisions. I am convinced that a circumcision performed in the home is infinitely more meaningful and much less traumatic. To begin with, the procedure done in the hospital is much longer than the traditional method. Parents are unaware of this since they are usually not allowed in the room with their infant during the procedure. Depending on the equipment used, a circumcision procedure can take several minutes. A Bris done by a mohel in the home is much faster (under 60 seconds) and the parents are in the comfort of their own environment. Additionally, I do not use the hard restraining boards that are used in the hospital. Rather the baby is placed on a pillow and held by the loving human hands of a relative or family friend.

One father recently told me that he and his wife were contemplating having the procedure done in the hospital. Thankfully, he states, I convinced him otherwise. He said that although everyone was filled with joy at the birth of their son, it was the Bris ceremony that brought everyone together. It was an opportunity for family and friends to be together for an experience that was spiritually moving as well as educational. More than any other mitzvah, Bris milah is an expression of our identity. An experience that creates another link in the continuing chain of our people that has proudly survived the challenges to its physical and spiritual existence over thousands of years.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule a Bris please contact me at 310-721-2149 or RabbiDenbo@westcoastmohel.com.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Shalom Denbo

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