When his son Shalom Dovid was born seven years ago this month in Miami, it spurred the desire within Rabbi Elchanan Schulgasser to learn a very specialized Jewish skill. Just last summer, he completed his training, joining Rabbi Jeffrey Shron and Michael Blum, M.D. as the Kansas City area’s newest mohel (a ritual circumciser).
“This is My Covenant which you shall keep … at the age of eight days every male among you shall be circumcised throughout the generations…” states the Torah in Beresheet (Genesis), 17:10-13. The Jewish people have faithfully carried out this ceremony, known as a Brit Milah, since G-d instructed Avraham to circumcise himself at the age of 99. The patriarch of the Jewish people then circumcised all the males in his household and later, when his son Yitzchak was born, circumcised him on the eighth day as commanded.
Not every father chooses to participate in the actual surgical procedure, but Rabbi Schulgasser, a member of the Kansas City Community Kollel, says he was “moved by the happiness and significance of the occasion” to perform the brit under the supervision of a close family friend in Miami. In addition to Shalom Dovid, he and his wife Bracha are the parents of Aliza, almost 5, Benayahu, 3, and Yehuda Zev, 18 months.
“Traditionally, a student who wanted to learn milah would apprentice to an experienced mohel,” he explained. “After a long period of study and supervised practice, the measure of a mohel’s expertise was whether he had performed a bris for his own son.” In Israel, there are many programs and courses that teach milah. “It’s easier to find training in Israel as there is a large Jewish community and many, many brisses,” he added.
He studied extensively with Rabbi Michael Rovinsky of St. Louis, one of only a handful of Orthodox mohelim who take on students for this specialized training. “Rabbi Rovinsky is very selective,” Rabbi Schulgasser added, taking only the top candidates in character, diligence and religiosity. “He then trains them in the technique he has developed, known for its speed, aesthetic appearance and minimization of pain to the baby.”
Mohelim regularly consult with Rabbi Rovinsky, who has performed thousands of Brit Milah, some under unusual circumstances. He once performed a Brit Milah in an airport so he could quickly return to St. Louis before the start of a Jewish holiday!
Though Rabbi Schulgasser is a relative newcomer to the field, he, too, already has some interesting stories. The parents at a recent brit he performed are both surgeons, and the grandfather, who held the baby during the ceremony, was a pediatrician. He wondered in advance if it would be difficult to deal with so many physicians in the family, but “they’re a wonderful family,” Rabbi Schulgasser said. “It was fun!” The rabbi also performed the Brit Milah on the son of his Kollel colleague Rabbi Yehuda Sokoloff a few months ago, describing it as “very special.”
Grateful to mohelim from other cities that were kind enough to share their experience and wisdom, Rabbi Schulgasser said, “I have also benefited from many discussions with pediatricians and from observing circumcisions in hospitals.”
One of those physicians is Dr. Blum, who has studied with the Reform movement’s Berit Milah program; he is chairman of both the Berit Milah board of directors and the National Association of American Mohalim. He is a board certified pediatrician with Pediatric Partners in Overland Park and can be reached at (913) 888-4567 or at .
Rabbi Shron, who serves as chazzan (cantor) at Kehilath Israel Synagogue, received his training from Rabbi David Suraksy. He also had extensive additional medical training from local pediatrician Dr. Alan Organ. Rabbi Shron is available at (913) 642.1880, ext. 211, (913) 649-6296 or or at his website, http://rabbijs.com.
“Rabbi Schulgasser has talked with me on several occasions about his participation in the community,” Dr. Blum said. “I am excited to have him join both Rabbi Shron and me in offering this service to the greater Kansas City area.”
The first eight days of a baby’s life can be very stressful — especially for new parents. But Rabbi Schulgasser said, “It’s an honor to spend time with parents at such a joyous time. I love sharing the occasion with them, helping parents select an appropriate Hebrew name, working with them on their speeches, dispensing any new-parent advice I can — every part of it.”
The area’s newest mohel can be reached at (913) 735-6728 or via e-mail at: . By the way, the Schulgassers have another child due in a few months, so if it’s a boy, will he perform the brit?
“The expression goes: ‘Mohelim have girls!’” he laughed. “But if we do ... for sure! It would be nice not to have a nervous father hovering over me!”
