The Bruchim Podcast Bruchim

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 position appeals most to them, and why. Finally, they talk about whether circumcision can be considered an example of a conflict between Ethics and Jewish law.

Show Notes:

Conservative Halacha and LGBT Issues:

https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/conservative-halakhah-and-homosexuality/

Plato’s Euthyphro Dialogue:

https://classics.mit.edu/Plato/euthyfro.html

Covenant of Blood by Lawrence Hoffman:

https://books.google.com/books/about/Covenant_of_Blood.html?id=YtAwXlnNyMgC

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 about some of the unique challenges that come our way. Plus, Eli shares the dramatic story that led him to thinking critically about circumcision.

Show Notes:

Bruchim’s website:

bruchim.online

Beyond the Bris:

https://www.beyondthebris.com

Celebrating Brit Shalom:

https://a.co/d/3ayHUCd

Eli’s Debate with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach:

https://youtu.be/-R852-AViBY?si=v0p6BW6dz4dqszPY

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 circumcise his son and talks about his impressions of Jews who have chosen to forgo circumcision.

Show Notes:

Mark’s book Squirrel Hill:

https://a.co/d/9mUk3cs

Pew Research Center's 2013 and 2020 reports on Jewish Americans:

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/10/01/jewish-american-beliefs-attitudes-culture-survey/

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/05/11/jewish-americans-in-2020

Medicalization and the Mainstreaming of Circumcision in Mid-twentieth-century
America by Elizabeth Reis

https://muse.jhu.edu/article/840015/pdf

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 sensitive topics.

Show Notes:

Lisa’s novel The Measure of His Grief:

https://a.co/d/88Ietmm

Celebrating Brit Shalom by Lisa Braver Moss and Rebecca Wald:

https://a.co/d/3ayHUCd

Eli’s review of Celebrating Brit Shalom in Tikkun Magazine:

https://www.tikkun.org/kickstarter-judaism-a-book-review-of-celebrating-brit-shalom/

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 Yorker:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/10/11/a-botched-circumcision-and-its-aftermath

Gary Shteyngart on the Evolve podcast:

https://evolve.fireside.fm/31

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 circumcision.

Show Notes:

Bruchim’s website:

www.bruchim.online

Harold Kushner “When Bad Things Happen to Good People”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/05/09/when-bad-things-happen-good-people-harold-kushner/

Harold Kushner vs. Christopher Hitchens debate from 2009:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx_ov2NiNo4

Episode Sponsors:

This episode was made possible by a generous donation from Darren Olsen