Arrest of British Rabbi Performing Circumcisions in Ireland Without Medical Licence
Bizarre/Strange
Saturday 3rd, August 2024
Ireland’s small Jewish community has been thrown into turmoil following the arrest of a British rabbi who had been brought in to perform circumcisions on local infants. Rabbi Jonathan Abraham was detained by police in Dublin on Tuesday and has been charged with practising medicine without a licence.
The rabbi, who resides in London with his wife and ten children, was denied bail by the presiding judge, who cited concerns that his ties to the UK made him a flight risk. If convicted, Abraham could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to €150,000.
Rabbi Yoni Wieder, Ireland’s Chief Rabbi, confirmed to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) that Abraham remained in custody as Shabbat began on Friday. Wieder expressed concern over the arrest, noting that it comes at a sensitive time for the Jewish community in Ireland.
“We and other relevant parties are doing everything we can for this man’s welfare and to ensure that traditional Jewish circumcisions can continue to be performed legally in Ireland”, Wieder stated in a press release, which was also signed by Maurice Cohen, Chair of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland (JRCI).
Abraham’s arrest has highlighted the challenges faced by Ireland’s Jewish population, estimated at around 6,000. Due to the community's small size, there are no locally based, trained mohels, or ritual circumcisers. As a result, the community relies on bringing in certified mohels from abroad. Rabbi Abraham is a member of the Initiation Society, a British organisation that has been certifying mohels for nearly 300 years and mandates that its members carry insurance.
According to court reports, Abraham was arrested after a police officer entered a private home in Dublin and observed him holding a scalpel with a naked infant on a changing pad. Testimony indicated that another infant had already been circumcised at the location earlier. Importantly, Wieder noted that Abraham was not circumcising a child from the Jewish community when he was arrested.
This distinction is critical, as Irish law allows mohels to perform circumcisions on Jewish infants but prohibits them from performing the procedure on non-Jews without a medical licence. Rabbi Wieder acknowledged that non-Jews might seek out Jewish mohels due to their reputed skill and competence, but this practice is not legally sanctioned in Ireland.
Philip Rosenberg, President of the British Board of Deputies, took to social media on Friday to share that he had been in contact with Cohen to discuss the unfolding situation.
Wieder and Cohen urged caution in public discussions about the case to prevent the spread of misinformation, particularly after individuals with similar names to Abraham had been subject to “false rumours”.
“It is only normal that people will talk about it, but we encourage you to be mindful when doing so”, their statement said. “It is very important that misinformation does not spread”.
The Jewish community in Ireland, supported by international Jewish organisations, is now navigating both the legal complexities of Abraham's case and the broader implications it has for their religious practices in the country.
The rabbi, who resides in London with his wife and ten children, was denied bail by the presiding judge, who cited concerns that his ties to the UK made him a flight risk. If convicted, Abraham could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to €150,000.
Rabbi Yoni Wieder, Ireland’s Chief Rabbi, confirmed to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) that Abraham remained in custody as Shabbat began on Friday. Wieder expressed concern over the arrest, noting that it comes at a sensitive time for the Jewish community in Ireland.
“We and other relevant parties are doing everything we can for this man’s welfare and to ensure that traditional Jewish circumcisions can continue to be performed legally in Ireland”, Wieder stated in a press release, which was also signed by Maurice Cohen, Chair of the Jewish Representative Council of Ireland (JRCI).
Abraham’s arrest has highlighted the challenges faced by Ireland’s Jewish population, estimated at around 6,000. Due to the community's small size, there are no locally based, trained mohels, or ritual circumcisers. As a result, the community relies on bringing in certified mohels from abroad. Rabbi Abraham is a member of the Initiation Society, a British organisation that has been certifying mohels for nearly 300 years and mandates that its members carry insurance.
According to court reports, Abraham was arrested after a police officer entered a private home in Dublin and observed him holding a scalpel with a naked infant on a changing pad. Testimony indicated that another infant had already been circumcised at the location earlier. Importantly, Wieder noted that Abraham was not circumcising a child from the Jewish community when he was arrested.
This distinction is critical, as Irish law allows mohels to perform circumcisions on Jewish infants but prohibits them from performing the procedure on non-Jews without a medical licence. Rabbi Wieder acknowledged that non-Jews might seek out Jewish mohels due to their reputed skill and competence, but this practice is not legally sanctioned in Ireland.
Philip Rosenberg, President of the British Board of Deputies, took to social media on Friday to share that he had been in contact with Cohen to discuss the unfolding situation.
Wieder and Cohen urged caution in public discussions about the case to prevent the spread of misinformation, particularly after individuals with similar names to Abraham had been subject to “false rumours”.
“It is only normal that people will talk about it, but we encourage you to be mindful when doing so”, their statement said. “It is very important that misinformation does not spread”.
The Jewish community in Ireland, supported by international Jewish organisations, is now navigating both the legal complexities of Abraham's case and the broader implications it has for their religious practices in the country.
