I have great respect for @eliungar, whose documentary ‘Cut’ is a must-see film for anyone interested in Judaism & genital autonomy http://www.cutthefilm.com . So when he talks about antisemitism, I listen.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psdlwcoC01g …
I think your point is exactly right, Eli. But I wonder what you make, in this context, of @beccasteinfeld 's claim that circumcision is a 'definitional Jewish practice"? https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/.premium-child-rights-over-circumcision-1.5294575 … , i.e., it isn't the case that most or even many Jews regard c. as somehow peripheral
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It’s definitely seen as a central ritual. Not trying to argue that it isn’t. But the notion that Judaism can be reduced to being called a “genital mutilation cult” is ridiculous. Not least because it doesn’t apply to at least half of us.
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In that at least half are not circumcised (i.e., Jewish women)? I thought the point was more about pariticpation in or endorsement of circumcision & the view it is in some way 'definitional' - which I gather is a lot more than half - not just being on receiving end of it, no?
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Yes. Jewish women. Look, it’s an important Mitzvah, but if you’re religious it is 1 of 613. And yes, there’s a lot of importance placed on it by the rabbis, but it’s not something that people spend a lot of time thinking about unless legislation is being considered. 1/2
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I don't think you can exclude women as they are as eager as men to define their identity by circumcision their boys. And this is how the argument always is: its our identity, EODiscussion.
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They are *often* as eager - but I know many Jewish women whose instincts tell them something is really off about the whole thing, that it is patriarchal and so on. I really think using homogenizing language should be avoided as much as possible.
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That said when *some* Jewish women say “my identity requires all healthy boys born into my cultural group have part of their genitals involuntarily removed” this feels, well, not cool. If Jewish girls were cut & a man said this the problem would be immediately obvious to all.
End of conversation
New conversation -
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