Wednesday, February 25, 2015

We have the power to amend policies... Metzitzah B'peh in NYC

"The administration of Mayor Bill de Blasio, under pressure from ultra-Orthodox rabbis, is set to ease New York City’s regulations on a controversial circumcision ritual that has been linked to herpes infections in infants."

"Administration officials on Tuesday announced a new policy that they described as a compromise between reducing health risks for infants and protecting the religious freedoms of those who cherish the ritual, known as metzitzah b’peh, or oral suction."

"The policy, which must be approved by the city’s Board of Health, involves a series of medical tests when a baby is found to have herpes. A circumciser who is proved through a DNA match to have the same herpes strain as the baby’s would be banned for life from the practice."

"Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat, views ultra-Orthodox New Yorkers as a key political constituency, and he pledged to rescind the consent rule on the first day of his administration." (New York Times)

This demonstrates that all it takes is a little pressure from constituents and policies will be changed in our favor.

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