"Orthodox Judaism isn't barbaric. Who cares more about children than their own parents? There's no call for Mayor Bloomberg to speak disrespectfully to our community, to speak condescendingly about our cultural traditions.…This issue is not about soda pop. it's about religious tenets and it requires an extremely sensitive and respectful approach, not flip remarks that are insulting to an entire community."
Dov Hikind
Hikind Lashes Out At Bloomberg Over Haredi Penis Sucking Ritual
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
NY State Assemblyman Dov Hikind is upset the New York City’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg threatened to ban metzitzah b’peh [MBP], the mouth-to-penis sucking done by the mohel to the the baby’s bleeding penis immediately after the circumcision cuts are made. In the US, MBP is almost exclusively limited to haredim and to non-haredim who do not realize that it will be done on their child by a haredi mohel until it is too late to stop it.
The practice is based on 2000 year old medical theory that has long since been proven false. In fact, MBP is clearly dangerous and has been banned at several points in time and in several locals during the past 250 years after being linked to outbreaks of disease.
Haredim have refused to give up the practice even though many Orthodox Jews had already done so more than 100 years ago.
New York has not banned the practice, despite public health experts desire to do so, because of strong haredi opposition, including threats to have tens of thousands of hasidim vote against any candidate who favors banning it.
Bloomberg, who gave in to haredi political pressure and threats six years ago the last time this issue was debated, but who is not running for re-election today, said on Tuesday that, “there are certain practices that doctors say are not safe and we will not permit those practices to the extent that we can stop them. You don't have a right to put any child's life in danger, and [metzitzah b’peh] clearly does."
Hikind, who is Orthodox himself, told the Daily News today that Bloomberg was out of line.
"Orthodox Judaism isn't barbaric. Who cares more about children than their own parents? There's no call for Mayor Bloomberg to speak disrespectfully to our community, to speak condescendingly about our cultural traditions.…This issue is not about soda pop. It's about religious tenets and it requires an extremely sensitive and respectful approach, not flip remarks that are insulting to an entire community."
At least three babies have died from MBP during the past 11 years. Two others were left with severe permanent brain damage, and many more were hospitalized or sickened, all from herpes transmitted from mohels through MBP.
[Hat Tips: Seymour, Devorah.]