Mom Fined $140 Every Day Until She Circumcises Her Child
A woman has been ordered to pay a fine of $140 per day as a penalty for keeping her baby boy uncircumcised.
The ruling was handed down late last month by an Israeli rabbinical court, which has jurisdiction in the country over matters concerning religion.
"The baby was born with a medical problem, so we couldn’t circumcise him on the eighth day as is customary," the mother, identified as Elinor, told Haaretz. "As time went on, I started reading about what actually happens in circumcision, and I realized that I couldn’t do that to my son. He’s perfect just as he is."
The court's fine of 500 shekels a day every day the child — now a year old — remains uncircumcised, was upheld this week by a higher rabbinical court in Jerusalem.
Elinor said the matter of her son's circumcision — or lack thereof — came to light after the boy's father brought it up during divorce proceedings.
She says the father initially agreed to leave the boy uncircumcised, but abruptly changed his mind.
The court, meanwhile, claimed Elinor was holding her son's circumcision hostage in an effort to get her husband back and warned against the precedent that might be set if she is allowed to leave her child uncircumcised.
For her part, Elinor is refusing to pay the fine and plans to keep fighting the ruling, vowing to bring the matter before Israel's secular Supreme Court.
