Circumcision Row Sees Israeli Mother Fined £85 A Day For Refusing To Allow Bris. A mother will continue to be fined £85 for every day her baby son remains uncircumcised, an Israeli rabbinical court has ruled. âThe baby was born with a medical problem, so we couldnât circumcise him on the eighth day as is customary,â Haaretz quotes the babyâs mother Elinor as saying. She added: âAs time went on, I started reading about what actually happens in circumcision and I realised that I couldnât do that to my son. Heâs perfect just as he is.â The bris became a court matter when the babyâs parents began divorce proceedings and the husband demanded the procedure take place. The Rabbinical Court in Jerusalem rejected an appeal on Monday by Elinor against a ruling earlier in the year by a court in Netanya. The penalty was enforced against her for her refusal to observe the requirement of halacha (Jewish law). On Monday evening she told Channel 2 News: âIâve been exposed to a lot of material regarding circumcision and I have decided not to circumcise my son. âI have no right to cut his organ and mutilate him. And the court has no right to force me to do so.â Elinor, whose baby is now one year old, has vowed to take her appeal to the Supreme Court. According to the Jewish Press, the Rabbinical court made reference to circumcision cases around the world too, noting: âWe have been seeing public and legal fights against circumcision in the United States and Europe for quite some time. âThe public in Israel stands united against this phenomenon, seeing it as another aspect of the anti-Semitic acts that must be fought.â Male circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin which can be performed for religious or medical reasons. According to the NHS: âRoutine circumcision may offer a number of potential benefits, such as reducing the risk of some types of infections. âHowever most healthcare professionals now agree that the risks associated with routine circumcision, such as infection and excessive bleeding, outweigh any potential benefits.â
