Inquiry into brit injury

SOUTH AFRICAN Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein has set up a commission to investigate the injuring of a baby in a circumcision.The inquiry, headed by retired judge Phillip Levinsohn, will consider any other complaint regarding circumcision submitted to it, said Rabbi Goldstein and the head of his Beth Din, Rabbi Moshe Kurtstag.

Hundreds of thousands of circumcisions had successfully been performed in South Africa in the past, they noted, adding: “Nevertheless, even one injury is a serious matter and were main committed to maintaining and improving halachic and safety standards of brit milah.”

The recent incident involved an experienced mohel whose competence had never been previously been questioned, they said.

The British-Jewish organisation, Milah UK, said it“would continue to do whatever wecan to support the South African Jewish community in their response to this terrible incident”. A Milah UK spokesman said Britain had systems of oversight, training and regulation of circumcision developed over hundreds of years that were “under continual monitoring and scrutiny.

“These systems are now being replicated across the world to ensure that the best possible safeguards are in place.”