A district court in Germany has ruled that circumcision may be considered a criminal act, raising alarm bells among Jewish institutions around the world.
According to the District Court in Cologne, circumcision is legally defensible only if is it medically required, not as a religious prescription.
The head of the Central Council of Jews (CCJ) in Germany, Dieter Graumann, called the decision "outrageous and insensitive", and Abraham Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, said: "While the ruling does not appear to have antisemitic intent, its effect is to say 'Jews are not welcome'."
Mr Graumann called on Germany's parliament to take action to prevent the District court case, involving a Muslim family, from setting a dangerous precedent that could endanger the religious life of both Muslims and Jews.
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German Court rules Circumcision a Crime
29th June 2012
A district court in Germany has ruled that circumcision may be considered a criminal act, raising alarm bells among Jewish institutions around the world.
According to the District Court in Cologne, circumcision is legally defensible only if is it medically required, not as a religious prescription.
The head of the Central Council of Jews (CCJ) in Germany, Dieter Graumann, called the decision "outrageous and insensitive", and Abraham Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League, said: "While the ruling does not appear to have antisemitic intent, its effect is to say 'Jews are not welcome'."
Mr Graumann called on Germany's parliament to take action to prevent the District court case, involving a Muslim family, from setting a dangerous precedent that could endanger the religious life of both Muslims and Jews.
Read the full article on theJC.com