No. I happen to be a cantor and there are many rabbis who are also mohalim. You don't have to be a rabbi or a cantor to be a mohel.

The Mohel who performs the ritual circumcision is a person who has received specialized training in the medical and ritual aspects of the bris. The moment of the bris has a great spiritual effect upon the child and therefore Jewish law specifies that one should choose a Mohel who is noted not only for his technical skills but also for his level of piety. It has therefore been the tradition that a Rabbi, cantor, or spiritual leader will also serve the community as a Mohel.

The best way is by word of mouth. You (or an eager future grandparent) may have attended a bris and taken the mohel's card. Or your obstetrician may have a referral. You can also call your rabbi or cantor for the name of a mohel. Most often, one family will pass the mohel's name on to the next, and so on.

I apprenticed to Rabbi Yosef Halperin, the Chief Mohel of Jerusalem in 1977. I studied the laws, participated in setting up the instruments, changed bandages, and by the end of my apprenticeship, performed a number of brisses, first under very close supervision and then "solo." Once Rabbi Halperin was satisfied with my abilities, he certified me. I am also certified by the New York Board of Rabbis Brith Milah Board.

Yavneh has an Orthodox rabbi and his wife on campus through the Jewish Learning Initiative. For more information, see the JLI page. The Hillel Director is a Conservative rabbi, though her affiliation with the Orthodox community is mostly administrative.

The mohel is a super-specialist, an expert at his profession, who probably possesses more experience at performing circumcisions than most doctors. A mohel may have the opportunity to perform more brisses in a month than some doctors do in an entire year. Doctors may be called away on medical emergencies and have to cancel their participation in your child's circumcision at the last minute.

Call Rabbi Cooper as soon as possible once the baby has arrived to assure the most flexibility in scheduling the brit. Feel free to call any time during the pregnancy to discus any aspect of milah.

A Mohel's fee varies from location to location, the range being between $400 to $800. Many families cannot afford the minimum fees being young married couples without a steady income. If they cannot afford the mohel's fee they should inform him and the mohel will generally reduce his fee to accommodate them.

I thank G-d that I am able to observe the most basic of Jewish traditions being observed by Jews all over. It's a beautiful and special event. The Gemara, or Talmud relates almost prophetically that the mitzvah of bris is one that is held onto throughout the generations. This is because the Jewish people have always practiced this special mitzvah even at the cost of putting their lives in danger. There are documented stories of people risking their lives to be able to give their child a bris.

Call the office between 9 am and 1 pm and leave a message. In an emergency, Rabbi Summers can be paged. Email sent to webmaster@anshe.org will be forwarded to Rabbi Summers by Aaron Gross, the webmaster.

You can stop by to meet either of the rabbis who work at the Bronfman Center. Or contact them via phone or e-mail:

The Minyan's Rabbi is the rabbi of Temple Beth Am. No individual rabbi officiates at services. We do, however, have plenty of rabbis lurking. They're like movie stars at Junior's; just pretend they're like normal people and they won't bother you.

If you're a Jewish clergy person looking to connect with colleagues or reflect and read about working with interfaith couples, visit our Resource Center for Jewish Clergy.

When circumcision is performed on a gentile it is usually done for medical reasons. A Mohel is one that performs circumcision only for ritual reasons, therefore the Mohel generally douse not perform circumcision on gentiles.

A mohel is a specialist trained exclusively in one discipline--to perform a bris. By having a religiously observant mohel for your son's bris you will have the benefit of being able to do the first mitzvah for him properly and connect him to his Jewish roots. Remember, "bris" means "covenant". By arranging the bris in the traditional way, you are keeping that covenant alive.

The Rabbi and synagogue for Jamaica are located in Kingston. Prices may be offered along with availability of dates and times at the time your wedding request is received. Prices will include travel from Kingston and accommodations in the geographic area where the wedding will be held.

We can provide an appropriate rabbi along with anything else you request including a Taharah and Shomer.

Some material has been deferred to a later update/newsletter to keep this one from being even longer. Materials in brackets like this [ ] within an article or forwarded message are my editorial notes/comments.] Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views of the JVNA, unless otherwise indicated, but may be presented to increase awareness and/or to encourage respectful dialogue.

A – At a trial, where his only offense had been to engage in peaceful religious protest, he declared his opposition to the very existence of the Israeli state. For this “politically incorrect” dissent he was jailed.

Answer... we might be able to, just depends on the island (there are very few temples in Hawaii... the missionary's came here first). Sure! Do may be married on the grounds of the Seawatch Restaurant at the Wailea Golf Course. See our Island Locations page. Or look at our Makena Waterfall Wedding which is right on Makena Golf Course. Or maybe a reception at the golf club restaurant.

Traditionally, the parents engage a mohel to perform the Bris. A mohel is a person who is specially trained in the medical and surgical techniques of circumcision. In addition to being an expert in his field, the mohel is also an expert in the Jewish laws pertaining to Bris Milah. A doctor's medical circumcision, usually performed in the hospital within the first few days after birth, does not fulfill the requirements of a Bris Milah and is not considered valid according to Jewish law.

Jewish Law (Bible) forbids the consumption of insects or anything that crawls on the ground and thus vegetables that are prone to infestation must be checked by a Rabbi to ensure that there are no insects embedded in any of its leaves.

We wanted to have a religious educations teacher who's of Jewish faith, this is because we've heard about Priests and Imams, but for some reasons we don't hear a lot about Rabbi's.

Hospital Chaplains provide spiritual care for patients, their families and staff. They offer spiritual counseling, emotional support and resources for addressing ethical and religious concerns. Spiritual care is a source of strength and healing when facing difficult situations. You or your family may call Spiritual Care Services to have a chaplain visit you. Your nurse will help you to arrange to see a chaplain. Each campus has a chapel that is open for times of prayer and meditation.

Since the 1980's the rate of Jewish men and women choosing non-Jewish partners has been somewhere between 40 and 50 percent. The Jewish community reacted negatively to those figures, believing that intermarriage would threaten the existence of the American Jewish community. Today, however, there is a consensus that the time has finally come to confront the challenge with constructive solutions.

All Orthodox and Conservative rabbis as well as most Reform and Reconstructionists will routinely refuse to officiate at interfaith ceremonies. There is, however, a legitimate group from the latter two denominations that will officiate. The greatest issue seems to be the wide variety of conditions that dictate officiation. Unfortunately, few rabbis will officiate with the broad latitude that most couples desire.

First, all Orthodox and Conservative rabbis and cantors as well as most Reform and Reconstructionists will routinely refuse to officiate at interfaith ceremonies. There is, however, a legitimate group from the latter denominations that will officiate. The major issue seems to be the wide variety of conditions that dictate officiation. Suffice it to say, few rabbis and cantors will officiate with the broad latitude that most couples desire.