The European Jewish Association held an emergency conference Wednesday in Brussels to address legal proceedings in Belgium against circumcisers who perform infant circumcisions. Speakers warned that the case could undermine religious freedom and minority rights, and could set a dangerous precedent for Jewish and Muslim communities across Europe. Muslim representatives also took part, and the conference presented a policy paper calling for legal certainty, recognition of trained practitioners, and regulation and dialogue instead of criminalization.
At an interfaith panel with lawyers and politicians, participants stressed the need to balance the rights of the child, parental rights, and freedom of religion, while avoiding the treatment of religious tradition as a criminal offense. EJA chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin said, “This is not really a debate about circumcision. It is a debate about the boundaries of freedom in Europe,” adding that what happens in Belgium “will be examined far beyond Belgium’s borders.” He warned that “the legal process against circumcision could determine the future of Jewish life in Europe,” and said governments need the right information to protect Jews’ ability to live as Jews.
Medical experts at the event challenged claims that religious circumcision is a public health problem. Dr. Michael Ben-Akon, head of pediatrics at Laniado Hospital and a member of Israel’s joint Health Ministry panel for certifying circumcisers, said about 2 billion men worldwide have been circumcised. He cited medical literature showing overall complication rates below 0.4% and infection rates below 0.06%, and said that among roughly 70,000 to 75,000 circumcisions performed annually in Israel, 35 complications were reported in 2018, or about 0.5 per 1,000 procedures. He added that about 70% of Israeli circumcisions are done by certified circumcisers under a strict training, testing, and oversight system run by the Chief Rabbinate and the Health Ministry.
Dr. Sas Bramsousa, a senior urologist in Belgium, and Dr. Nofar Wige, a senior biomedical sciences expert at KU Leuven, presented studies linking circumcision to lower rates of urinary tract infections, some cancers, and various sexually transmitted diseases, arguing the evidence does not support treating it as a major public health issue. Oliver Várhelyi, the EU commissioner for health and animal welfare, sent a message reaffirming that “Jewish life belongs to Europe” and that Jewish communities must be able to practice their faith safely and with dignity. Katarina von Schnurbein, the European Commission coordinator on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life, said banning circumcision would effectively mean banning the flourishing of Jewish life in any EU member state. The participants said the Belgian case could become a Europe-wide precedent, and Margolin closed by saying minority rights are tested when they protect minorities, not majorities.
