According to a representative of the Consulate General of Israel in New York, circumcision is not physically forced upon people although a person who chooses to become Jewish must agree to be circumcised (27 Sept. 1993). A number of Jews from the former Soviet Union who immigrated to Israel were not circumcised because they feared mistreatment by the former Soviet authorities if discovered, but that does not mean they were forcibly circumcised upon arrival in Israel (Ibid.). The representative added that circumcision must be performed in a synagogue according a well-established religious ceremony and cannot forcibly be performed in the street (Ibid.).

A representative of the Society of St-Yves, a human rights organization in Jerusalem, stated that circumcision is not physically forced upon Jewish men (28 Sept. 1993). However, since all matters of personal status (marriage, divorce, inheritance, etc.) are under the jurisdiction of Jewish laws which are implemented by the Ministry of Religion and the Rabbinical Council, a non-circumcised Jew who would like to marry another Jew would have to be circumcised before getting married according to Jewish law (Ibid.). Therefore, there are legal pressures in the Jewish religious and social context to be circumcised in order to adapt to Jewish social and religious life (Ibid.). Children of a non-circumcised father would likely be considered illegitimate by the Rabbinical authorities, who judge these matters by orthodox standards (Ibid.).

The representative reported that an article appeared in the Israeli newspaper Hadashot during the third week of September 1993 that told of a case where Orthodox Jews entered the house of new immigrant parents from the former Soviet Union while the father was absent and circumcised their baby (Ibid.). The case, which is now in court, is based on conflicting explanations of the circumstances: the mother claims that she opposed the circumcision while the Orthodox Jews argue that she gave them her consent (Ibid.).

According to a representative of the Israel Religions Action Centre (IRAC) in Jerusalem, circumcision is not forcibly performed in Israel (28 September 1993). The Ministry of Religion would pay for the procedure if a person wished to be circumcised (Ibid.). The representative mentioned that, although there is no official or state pressure for circumcision, a person may feel social pressure from his environment (Ibid.). Such pressure to integrate socially would be eased by becoming circumcised (Ibid.). The representative of IRAC also made mention of the incident reported in Hadashot where a baby was circumcised by two Orthodox Jews, and he stated that all the facts surrounding this event did not make it clear whether the mother consented to the circumcision or not (Ibid.). This case is in court, and the publicity around this incident caused an uproar among the Israeli public (Ibid.).

This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Consulate General of Israel, New York. 28 September 1993. Telephone interview with representative.

Israel Religions Action Centre (IRAC), Jerusalem. Telephone interview with representative.

Society of St-Yves, Jerusalem. 28 September 1993. Telephone interview with representative.

The Independent. 17 August 1993. Sarah Helm. "Knives are Out in Israeli Row Over Corpses." (NEXIS)

The Jerusalem Post. 16 August 1993. "Correction." (NEXIS)

The Sunday Telegraph. 13 January 1991. Con Coughlin. "Hidden Bill for Israel." (NEXIS)