The Cleveland Plan Dealer profiles the only female mohel in the state of Ohio:
Her full-time gig is as an OB-GYN who practices at University Hospitals Suburban Health Center in South Euclid. But when duty calls, Dr. Karen Jaffe becomes a mohelet, or a female mohel, a central figure in one of the most revered traditions in the Jewish religion.
The brit milah — or bris, as it is more commonly known — is the ritual circumcision of a newborn Jewish boy, usually performed on the eighth day of life. The procedure, the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis, is an outward sign of the covenant between God and Jewish people.
Jaffe is the only female mohel (rhymes with "oil") in Ohio and one of only a few dozen mohelets in the United States. Traditionally, mohelim were Orthodox men who received special training to perform circumcisions. Often that training was handed down from father to son. …
Read the full story.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
