Mom Fined $140 Every Day Until She Circumcises Her Child

[TexasTowelie]

A woman has been ordered to pay a fine of $140 per day as a penalty for keeping her baby boy uncircumcised.

The ruling was handed down late last month by an Israeli rabbinical court, which has jurisdiction in the country over matters concerning religion.

"The baby was born with a medical problem, so we couldn’t circumcise him on the eighth day as is customary," the mother, identified as Elinor, told Haaretz. "As time went on, I started reading about what actually happens in circumcision, and I realized that I couldn’t do that to my son. He’s perfect just as he is."

The court's fine of 500 shekels a day every day the child — now a year old — remains uncircumcised, was upheld this week by a higher rabbinical court in Jerusalem.

More at http://gawker.com/mom-fined-140-every-day-until-she-circumcises-her-chil-1472056843/ .

[liberalhistorian]

1. So, THIS is the "free society" that we're

spending hundreds of billions of dollars annually to maintain and uphold?

[Iggo]

2. Ah, of course.

[defacto7]

3. It's a ridiculous intrusion on human rights as I see it.

Unfortunately it's religion vs. choice, religion vs. human rights, religion vs. a parents understanding of science. BUT... it's not here, it's another country and another governing system. If it were here it would be unconstitutional.

[liberalhistorian]

6. Except that we give them billions of

dollars of our money annually, and it's promoted as the "only democracy in the Middle East". I think that gives us at least some right to be just a tad bit upset about the undue influence of religion in that democratic society.

[Comrade Grumpy]

8. More like $3 billion annually, but yeah.

[liberalhistorian]

11. You're right and I stand corrected;

I edited to reflect that, but my basic point still remains.

[defacto7]

10. I agree.

and I am more than a tad bit upset myself. It's a Rabbinical court decision... I wonder if that trumps government court decisions in Israel or areas of Israel? Maybe parents have the right to leave their sect and be done with it. I don't know.

[liberalhistorian]

12. According to the article, an appeals court

upheld it and now it goes to the secular Israeli Supreme Court, which is, generally, reasonable and fair in their rulings. So we'll see. She is refusing to both circumcise him and pay any fines until the SUPCO ruling.

I remember when I chose not to have my own son circumcised when he was born over twenty years ago (I'm not Jewish, but it's still common standard practice in most hospitals regardless of religion). You would not believe the uproar and outcry from the medical staff and family and friends. Sheesh. I saw no reason to have him circumcised, it was my choice at my discretion, and I had the right to make that choice. It's never negatively affected him and the sky didn't fall in and the earth didn't stop. It should be left up to the parents involved. If they want it, fine, if they don't, that's fine, too.

[jberryhill]

4. I thought February was circumcision month

After getting over the annual JFK debacle, we can't do circumcision AND the War on Christmas at the same time.

[GoneFishin]

5. Radical religiously based oppressive laws. Didn't catch the country. Iran? Iraq? Afghanistan? n/t

[Xithras]

7. Israel, the shining light of democracy in the Middle East

So much better than all of those OTHER Middle Eastern countries where people are forced to live under religious law and abide by religious court systems, letting religious leaders choose who you can marry and the terms of your divorces.

Don't all free and democratic societies permit religious courts to force genital mutilation on the unwilling?

[FarCenter]

9. They take mythology way too seriously in Israel

Marriage reform law could land bride, groom and rabbi in jail for two years

Family law in Israel is a bit like Frankenstein, constructed in a patch-like manner, limb by limb, with a law here and a High Court ruling there. Before one realizes it, the impressive legal entity we are faced with is an entire body. The facts speak for themselves – ever-increasing numbers of Israel’s Jewish citizens opt to wed outside the rabbinical framework. While running for the chief rabbi’s office, Rabbi David Stav warned that one third of secular couples today find other ways of getting married. The subsequent election of two conservative chief rabbis will presumably strengthen this growing trend.

Last week, a flash of light flickered in the darkness. A law calling for the expansion of registration zones and easing up on restrictions was passed by the Knesset, and every citizen will now be able to choose the religious council in which his marriage will take place. Theoretically, this will allow one to find more tolerant officials, such as ones who won’t insist on the bride producing a note confirming her dipping in a mikve. This is a positive development, making things easier, but it doesn’t really solve the problem. We are still bound by law to get married exclusively by Orthodox rabbis. We can console ourselves with the hope that we might find a nice rabbi.

However, this wasn’t the only change to the law that was enacted last week. In addition to increasing the number of registration offices, there was a change to the clause which penalizes those who marry outside the Chief Rabbinate. While the original law stated that anyone "who does not register a marriage or divorce at the Rabbinate will be charged according to the amendments to clause 99 of the Ottoman criminal code," the new amendment stipulates that in addition to the couple getting married the officiating rabbi will also be charged. Instead of the breezy reference to the old Ottoman law, the new legislation stipulates that both husband and wife and the rabbi performing the ceremony will be subject to two years’ imprisonment.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/.premium-1.556438