Marvin Fremerman of Springfield, Missouri, recalls a memorable mohel experience.
Your article in the April 27 issue of the Chronicle, “Rabbinical Association looking for potential mohels,” brought back a fond and humorous memory.
Many years ago, a friend of mine (who shall remain nameless) was celebrating the birth of his first son and was in need of a mohel for the bris. Since there were no mohels located in Kansas City at that time, he heard of one who was located in St. Louis. He called the St. Louis mohel, who agreed to fly to Kansas City to perform the ceremony.
Everything went well, and after the ceremony, my friend took out his checkbook and asked the mohel how much he should write the check for. The mohel, who was a very nice man, put up his hands with palms facing my friend, and said, “Whatever you wish to pay me.” My friend thought for a moment, and decided to write a check for $100, which he felt would cover the mohel’s time as well as his airfare. He handed the check to the mohel, who looked at it pensively, then briskly handed it back saying, “My minimum is $150.”
