New York – NYC Rabbinic Bris Board Fires Off Letter To Mayor Over Metzitzah B’peh Agreement

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    New York, NY – With both City Hall and the City Council issuing warnings that changes may be coming to the the 2015 agreement that lifted certain regulations imposed on metzitzah b’peh, a broad-based rabbinical group that has been involved in the ongoing dialogue regarding mbp have spoken out, saying that it is the Board of Health, not the rabbonim involved, who have reneged on their part of the deal.

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    As previously reported on VIN News (http://bit.ly/2n7c2Lp), New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that his office would be reviewing the agreement after being informed that only two of six mohels linked to cases of neonatal herpes that were tied to metzitzah b’peh had been tested for the virus, as required under the terms of the agreement.

    Representing the Vaad L’mishmeres Ha’bris, Brooklyn based rabbis, Rabbi Shraga Feivel Cohen, Rabbi Abraham S. Blum and Rabbi Isaac Eichenstein, have written to the Mayor stating that they fully share the goal of doing everything possible to safeguard the health and wellbeing of children, while at the same time respecting the religious freedom of those for whom the millennia-old practice of mbp is an essential component of their sacred religious tradition.

    The two goals, they insist, are entirely compatible.

    The 2015 agreement, they reminded the mayor, established a clear protocol in cases of HSV-1 infection of an infant. HSV-1 is the common “cold sore” virus that causes harmless lesions in adults but can be life-threatening to a newborn – although cases of infant infection from circumcision are extremely rare, and although the prognosis in the rare cases of infection is greatly improved with early diagnosis and treatment. The investigative protocol includes immediate testing of the mohel, or ritual circumciser, for presence of HSV-1 antibodies, which would indicate a previous or current infection with the virus, and then DNA testing to ascertain if the source of the infection was in fact the mohel. And if it was, the mohel would desist from practicing mbp.

    Unfortunately, the rabbis note, when they endeavored to follow up on implementation of the protocols agreement, they were informed that the City Health Department refused to commit to terms of the agreement. Several subsequent attempts were made to revive the agreement, but the Health Department refused to abide by its terms.

    The DNA testing, the rabbis explain, is vital, as there have been clear cases where a mohel was suspected of being the source of a baby’s infection but where such testing showed conclusively that the virus had been transmitted by someone else. Accurately confirming the source of the infection is imperative – whether it be the mohel, a parent or another caregiver – in order to prevent subsequent transmission of such infections.

    The letter decries a recent Health Department alert implying that six mohelim associated with cases of infant herpes infections were the source of the infections, although no DNA testing was done, and none offered by the department.

    The rabbis end their letter with an urgent request that the protocol agreed upon two years ago finally be implemented, and that they and their communities look forward to working with City Hall to “bring to fruition our historic agreement that protect[s] both religious freedom and the health of our precious children.”


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    5 Comments
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    jack-l
    jack-l
    7 years ago

    I am not pro MBP. but it is heartwarming to hear that the rabbonim agreed to the requirements for a mohel to test. Its the least a mohel can do if he practises MBP..
    Why legislation is required and why this testing isn’t already common practise is mind boggling.

    Sholi-Katz
    Sholi-Katz
    7 years ago

    How long will the Rabbonim insist on endangering our Yiddisha babies??
    Isn’t it ironic, that to save an adult we would go to all extremes to save his life, even when there is only the slightest chance to save his life. We desecrate the Shabbos, use every possible heter, use any quack doctor as a source to go against any prohibition in the Torah.
    However, here where EVERY head of infectious disease, of EVERY major hospital clearly says there is danger in doing it B’peh. We “FAFF EM UHEN” (Disregard them) think WE know better and won’t give the precious child the benefit of doubt.
    Are we not Aczorim and Reshoim?

    viven2345
    viven2345
    6 years ago

    Quiero compartir mi felicidad al mundo sobre cómo me curé de (HERPES VIRUS) por Dr. olufa herbal, visité diferentes hospitales pero me dieron una lista de medicamentos como Famvir, Zovirax y Valtrex que es muy caro para tratar Los síntomas y nunca me curaron. Un amigo de mi en el Reino Unido me dijo acerca de dr olufa me dijo que es el que la cura es el marido de la hepatitis B y me dijo que tiene curar a muchas personas del virus del herpes con la medicina de hierbas, entonces me dijo que lo contacte Que él nos cura con es hierba. Cuando me puse en contacto con dr olufa me dio la esperanza y decir que me curar una vez que obtener su hierba ok luego de 4 días me envía una medicina a base de plantas que me tomó por sólo 1 semanas y que trabajó en serio para mí, mi HERPES resultado Salió negativo. Estoy tan feliz como estoy compartiendo este testimonio. Mi consejo a todos ustedes que piensan que no hay cura para el herpes que no es cierto, simplemente contactarlo y obtener la cura de las hierbas curativas del Dr. olufa, también tiene la hierba para curar cualquier tipo de hepatitis B, C A. Y TIPO DE DIFERENTES ENFERMEDAD Recuerde que el retraso en el tratamiento conduce a la muerte