History of Brit Milah

"And G-d spoke to Avraham saying: ...This is my covenant which you shall keep between Me and you and thy seed after you -every male child among you shall be circumcised." (Bereishit 17:12)

For 3500 years, since the time of our forefather Avraham, the Jewish people have observed the ritual of circumcision as the fundamental sign of the covenant between G-d and Yisrael. Known in Hebrew as Brit Milah, "the Covenant of Circumcision", it is considered much more than a simple medical procedure.

Brit Milah is considered the sign of a new-born child's entry into the Jewish tradition. For millennia, in every country where Jews have lived, they have always practiced this ritual, sometimes at great personal sacrifice. Perhaps more than any other ritual, Brit Milah is the ultimate affirmation of Jewish identity.  [Rabbi Moshe Shulman]