These Jews want to normalize not circumcising with their synagogue's help

Bruchim is a new organization that advocates for Jewish families that don't want to circumcise their sons

Among its objectives, Bruchim wants to see synagogues make proactive statements of welcome for non-circumcising families similar to those that have become common toward Jews of color and LGBT+ Jews. They also hope rabbis will offer one of several alternative welcome ceremonies for newborns in place of the traditional bris.

Diane Targovnik just set the date for her son’s bar mitzvah in 2023. He’s only 11, but she wanted to get it on the books. When he was born, she and her husband decided against circumcision.

The Conservative movement holds the position that non-circumcising families be allowed membership but denied a bar mitzvah.
Targovnik was born and raised in that tradition, but recently, she joined a local independent synagogue in its place — one that would permit her son to have his bar mitzvah and full membership in the Jewish community.

My role as a Jewish mother is to protect my son and that’s what I felt like I did.”

Before Targovnik had her first child, a girl, she had always seen the ritual of circumcision as “something beautiful and normal.” In fact, when she first heard about opposition to circumcision in some corners she “had a knee-jerk reaction that it was antisemitic.” But she wanted to know more in case she would ever have a son.
The more research she did, the more she became convinced circumcision was unnecessary and “I knew in my heart of hearts that it was wrong,” she said.