Babies Dying After Contracting Herpes Orthodox Jewish Rabbis

Two children are dead, more are injured — yet a group of ultra-Orthodox rabbis say they plan to defy a health order in the name of religious freedom.

Less than a year after a Brooklyn tot died following an ancient circumcision ritual, the rabbis say they will ignore a proposed law that would mandate parental-consent forms before performing the dangerous procedure.
Over the past decade, at least one other newborn died after contracting herpes from the rite, in which the rabbi draws blood from the penis with his mouth.
But ultra-Orthodox leaders are lashing out at the city’s “evil plans” ahead of the Board of Health’s vote next week.

About 200 rabbis signed a proclamation claiming the Health Department “printed and spread lies . . . in order to justify their evil decree.”
“It is clear to us, that there is not even an iota of blame or danger in this ancient and holy custom,” the letter states.
Most modern mohels — men trained to perform religious circumcisions, who are usually rabbis or doctors — remove blood from the baby’s wound using a sterile pipette.
But some Orthodox Jewish parents insist on an ancient “suction by mouth” ritual called metzitzah b’peh.
The city’s law would require mohels to distribute consent waivers, detailing the herpes risk, before the ritual.
Rabbi David Niederman, executive director of the United Jewish Organization of Williamsburg, said no one will comply with the law, even if it’s passed.
“For the government to force a rabbi who’s practicing a religious act to tell his congregants it’s dangerous is totally unacceptable,” Niederman told The Post.
“You’re forcing the mohel and the parent to sign a piece of paper that contradicts their religious convictions.”
Niederman said there’s no substantive evidence linking herpes and the religious ritual.
Michael Tobman, a political consultant working with several large Hasidic communities, said the waiver is no minimal imposition.
“It warns parents that the city suggests a link between the practice and serious health worries, [and] it would undoubtedly have a chilling impact,” he said.
“City government shouldn’t be doing that.”
At least 11 babies in the city have contracted the herpes simplex virus since 2000 — and two developed brain damage and two died, according to a Health Department investigation.
In July, an Orange County infant was hospitalized after contracting a deadly strain of the virus.
Earlier this year, prosecutors were investigating the September 2011 death of a Brooklyn newborn at Maimonides Hospital from Type 1 herpes.

A Health Department spokeswoman declined to comment on the rabbis’ proclamation but said, “It is important that parents know the risks associated with the practice.”

Having said that, did OP really need to say "cock sucking rabbis"? Other than to grab attention and offend Jews. (FYI, I'm a Jew and I was offended by the implications)

If they were catholic priests, I would have still said cock sucking.

I think it's pretty disgusting how this ritual is still performed, probably done so to disguise their paedophillic intentions.

Very hard to justify complaining so much about letting parents be informed of the risks. There's no attempt to stop the practice only that people should know there is a risk.

Having said that, did OP really need to say "cock sucking rabbis"? Other than to grab attention and offend Jews. (FYI, I'm a Jew and I was offended by the implications)

Very hard to justify complaining so much about letting parents be informed of the risks. There's no attempt to stop the practice only that people should know there is a risk.

Having said that, did OP really need to say "cock sucking rabbis"? Other than to grab attention and offend Jews. (FYI, I'm a Jew and I was offended by the implications)

So you're happy to offend lots of groups. That makes it all OK then

As for the title - I was taken aback at first... but it is an accurate title really: babies are dieing from herpes contracted from Rabbis who have sucked on their genitals....

Would you be happy if you found out say as a 14 year old that this man



Sucked blood from your penis?

I for one would beat my parents senseless for having me put through that...

That is the problem with religious nuts. They're just so ****ing sensitive and offended by anything and everything.

I'm offended that they do this to innocent babies. What now man?

I don't go around crying, calling others evil. I am for laws protecting the innocent. But of course this is "offending"...

Very hard to justify complaining so much about letting parents be informed of the risks. There's no attempt to stop the practice only that people should know there is a risk.

Having said that, did OP really need to say "cock sucking rabbis"? Other than to grab attention and offend Jews. (FYI, I'm a Jew and I was offended by the implications)

Keep justifying a medically unnecessary form of mutilation. Makes you look like a tool.

Where in that post did I even attempt to justify it. I merely responded to your question and comment about how you would want to beat your parents senseless if, at 8 days old, they had let a bearded man suck a small bit of blood from your penis.

I can certainly understand that you would find the knowledge creepy and weird and disturbing. But you'd beat them senseless, yeah that doesn't make you seem unhinged at all

It's your problem that you're offended, not anyone else's.

We've got to get rid of this culture where we can't say anything in case it offends somebody. It is not your right to not be offended, and if you are, deal with it. It is not society's responsibility to cater to everyone's sensibilities.

So I can be offended but I can't tell anyone I'm offended?

And I can't suggest that deliberately causing unnecessary offence is not a nice thing to do?

Tell me, then, would you support my right to gate-crash a burial by shouting obscenities and insults and false allegations about the deceased in front of his mourning family and friends? After all, its not society's responsibility to stop me offending people, right?

You are saying actively offending people is the same as people being offended because of their beliefs?

So I can be offended but I can't tell anyone I'm offended?

And I can't suggest that deliberately causing unnecessary offence is not a nice thing to do?

Tell me, then, would you support my right to gate-crash a burial by shouting obscenities and insults and false allegations about the deceased in front of his mourning family and friends? After all, its not society's responsibility to stop me offending people, right?