Reflections on circumcision and Germany

RABBI MICAH PELTZ: Why Jews hold circumcision so dear, and what Germany has to fear: Ever since Abraham and Isaac, the brit milah has recognized our partnership with God doesn’t happen automatically; we must constantly uphold our end of the covenant. So too must Germany uphold its promise of religious freedom to Jews and Muslims alike. (Haaretz).

And it’s this lesson that the courts that outlawed non-medical circumcision in Germany need to learn. Restricting minority groups' religious rituals harms the whole society, especially one with a history such as Germany's. It’s time for Germany, and the other countries in Europe who have prevented circumcisions, to uphold the principle of religious freedom and stop outlawing this important Jewish and Muslim ritual. Doing so not only ensures the legal practice of this religious tradition, it also affirms the principles of freedom, tolerance, and respect for all peoples, which any democracy must hold dear.

Background on the German decision to ban circumcision is here and links.