In this episode, Eli and Max are joined by Dr. Na’ama Carlin to discuss her book Morality, Violence, and Ritual Circumcision. They talk about Dr. Carlin’s distinction between two types of violence: Manichaen violence, which is done by and to people; and generative violence, which helps to create identities." They discuss the contemporary circumcision debate and how Jewish circumcision resists its logic. Further, they talk about Derrida’s book Circumfession and how Na’ama leans on it for her u...

In his second appearance on The Bruchim Podcast, Jeff presents his view on the ethics of circumcision, and Max and Eli respond with their own views on the matter. They discuss the right to bodily integrity, the right to self-determination, the differences and similarities between male and female genital cutting practices, and the possibility that circumcision wrongs people without harming them.Show NotesEli’s Text Study Video:https://youtu.be/w_7xv6V68b8?si=YVdN3Jv53JTuOKv1Eli’s Essay on the ...

In the third part of this series, Eli and Max are joined by the moral philosopher Jeff Helmreich. After Jeff gets up to speed on the conversation, he complicates matters by introducing a fifth option for the relationship between ethics and Jewish law. The group digs into the "Oven of Akhnai," a famous story from the Babylonian Talmud. Jeff then talks about the process he went through when deciding to circumcise his son and articulates his position, followed by discussion of how his posi...

In the second part of this series, Eli is joined by Bruchim’s Director of Education, Max DuBoff, to look at an essay by Rabbi Ethan Tucker that is directly relevant to the relationship between Ethics and Jewish law. After a brief introduction to Rabbi Tucker’s place in the Jewish world, they try to understand how Rabbi Tucker's view fits into the categories delineated in the first part of the series. They conclude by discussing Tucker’s comments in this essay on the topic of circumcision.Show...

Are Jewish law and ethics in conflict? Eli is joined by Max DuBoff, Bruchim's Director of Education, to explore this question. They begin by defining their terms and explaining what they mean by ethics and what they mean by halakha, Jewish law. Max then proposes four possible positions that one might take regarding the relationship between the two, based on two questions: 1) Can ethics and Jewish law conflict?; and 2) If they can, what should we do about it? Max and Eli each explain which pos...

In this episode, Eli is joined by Bruchim’s Executive Director Rebecca Wald. Rebecca talks about the decision not to circumcise her son and the consequences of that decision. Eli and Rebecca then discuss Rebecca's website Beyond the Bris and how it became one of the premier Jewish websites on the subject of circumcision. They also talk about Rebecca’s book Celebrating Brit Shalom and the founding of Bruchim. Here they clarify the unique position that Bruchim occupies in the world and talk abo...

In this episode, Eli is joined by Bruchim’s Director of Education Max DuBoff and Jewish journalist Mark Oppenheimer. This episode was recorded two days after Hamas’s October 7th attack against Israel so the conversation starts with reactions to the news. The discussion then moves to the role of antisemitism in Jewish-American identity, the importance or lack thereof of denominations, and the right of a community to set its own identity boundaries. Mark shares his process for deciding to...

In this episode, Eli is joined by Bruchim’s President, Lisa Braver Moss. Lisa discusses her regret after circumcising her two boys, and how this catalyzed a lifetime of activism about Jewish circumcision. She also reflects on writing a novel about circumcision and a book of ceremonies for alternative baby welcoming ceremonies, also called brit shalom. Plus, Eli and Lisa think together about what it’s like to be a Jew in the Genital Autonomy Movement, and how to be an effective activist on sen...

In this episode, Gary Shteyngart joins Eli to talk about growing up as an immigrant and his memories of being circumcised at the age of seven. He talks about "the very painful complications from his circumcision which have haunted him as an adult." Gary talks about the decision to tell his story to the New Yorker, the reception of his article, and his feelings about the practice of circumcision in general. Show Notes: Gary Shteyngart’s article in the New...

Welcome to the Bruchim Podcast! For our first episode, host Eli Ungar-Sargon is joined by Max Buckler, Bruchim’s Director of Strategic Initiatives and a bioethics researcher. They discuss: Is it a contradiction for a Jew to be opposed to circumcision? And what's the basis of Jewish identity? They also talk about the need for an organization like Bruchim, why we don’t accept the don’t-ask-don’t-tell status quo about circumcision, and how Max became interested in the subject of...

Welcome to The Bruchim Podcast! The only podcast in the world dedicated to Jews who think differently about circumcision.