A Bone to Pick: The Debate Over Jewish Ritual Circumcision in Belgium

There was a great deal of commotion in Belgium last week about Jewish ritual circumcision. The American ambassador, Bill White, politicians from various parties, and the average Belgian all suddenly seem to have an opinion about this religious ritual that dates back thousands of years to the Patriarch Abraham. All of them (or at least some among them) appear to have good intentions—wanting, as one opinion piece put it, to bring the Jews into the Enlightenment, whether we asked for it or not. As if this were the first time in history such an attempt has been made. Until recently, Belgium upheld the right to freedom of religion, and I sincerely hope the agitated crowd calms down long enough to understand what is actually at stake here, and for which political purposes this topic keeps resurfacing.

The centuries‑old practice of male circumcision is done on the eighth day after the birth of a Jewish boy

The linguist in me has long been irritated by the silent victim of recent years: our language. Hyperbole dominates public debate through insinuating generalizations and, above all, through the cultural appropriation of Shoah‑related vocabulary—intentionally used as a weapon to reverse roles. In English, this is called gaslighting. It is a dangerous tool now used by just about everyone.

In this case, the centuries‑old practice of male circumcision on the eighth day after the birth of a Jewish boy is being compared to the barbaric tradition of female genital mutilation. This isn’t just comparing apples and oranges—it’s comparing apples to rotten, reeking onions. As a Jewish wife and mother of four circumcised sons, I want to make it absolutely clear that Jewish ritual circumcision is in no way a form of mutilation. Female genital mutilation, practiced in certain circles, is motivated by the oppression of women and, above all, by the desire to deny them a healthy sexual life. Circumcised men—up to 70% of the population in some Anglo‑Saxon countries—do not suffer from circumcision in any way. In fact, they have a lower risk of various unpleasant diseases and infections thanks to it.

You may not know me personally, but I assure you I would never allow my sons to be circumcised by the first butcher passing by. Mohalim, or ritual circumcisers (I think the entire country knows the term by now), must study and train extensively. Whenever possible, they must circumcise their own son before beginning their career as a mohel. They have a thorough understanding of hygiene and wound care, and they make home visits to clean the wound and ensure everything is healing properly.

I have lived in Jewish communities around the world my entire life, and I have never known anyone who suffered from it. It is one of the most important commandments for Jews. Attacking circumcision is attacking Judaism. I understand that this may be difficult for strictly rational people to grasp, but it remains true. I cannot force anyone to believe in God or in the covenant between God and the Jewish people. But no one can force me to give up my right to fully practice my religion. This, to me, is what the separation of Church and State (or synagogue) means.

Germany and the Netherlands already have frameworks to certify mohalim based on their expertise. Are we really going to ask our Jewish citizens not only to import our ritual meat from abroad (thanks to Ben Weyts), not only to bury our dead in the Netherlands (because Belgian law allows graves to be reused after 50 years), but also to have the four or five circumcisions per day performed abroad? That would be utterly absurd.

Let us reflect together and sit down to ensure that the legal, medical, ethical, and religious aspects of Jewish ritual circumcision are all respected. It is perfectly possible—our neighboring countries and the United States manage it—and with a bit of goodwill, we can manage it here too.

Until then, I have a bone to pick with the government for meddling in our private religious lives. They would do better to clean up all those rotten onions first. Image credits:

Photo by Omar Lopez via Unsplash