• Rabbi, physician, nurse practitioner or neither?
  
  

  I am a physician trained in Obstetrics & Gynecology. I attended medical school at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and graduated in 1984. I was in General Practice for seven years afterward.
  
  

• Current Medical License?
  
  I maintain a current medical license in the States of California only.
  
  
• Board certification? Name of Board and what year certified?
  
  I was trained as a mohel under the auspices of the Berit Milah Board of Reform Judaism and I was certified in 1985.
  
  
• Member of a national organization representing Mohalim/ot?
  
  

  I am a 21 year member and past secretary of the National Organization of American Mohalim/ot (NOAM).
  
  

• Attends meetings/lecturer/author of articles?

  Lecturer : Hebrew Union College Practical Rabbinics Class and many temple-based lecture engagements. I attend the biannual meetings of NOAM.
  
  Published articles in NOAM newsletter and Los Angeles Times.
  
  

• How many years as a mohel/et?

  21 years.
  
  

• Professional or part-time?

  I am a full-time professional mohel and have been so since 1992.
  
  I performed as a mohel part-time for seven years prior to 1992.
  
  

• How often does he/she perform Beritot?

  I perform approximately 6 - 7 ceremonies per week.
  
  

• Total number of ceremonies performed?

  I performed my first bris in 1985 and have performed approximately 6000+ ceremonies during my career. This figure represents 25% of the total number of all ceremonies performed in the United States to date by mohalim/ot trained through the Berit Milah Board of Reform Judaism. There are currently 350 mohalim/ot trained in the United States and Canada.
  
  

My instruments are autoclave steam sterilized to the standards of top American medical establishments and to the standards of the Public Health Department as well.

Yes. I recommend the use of pain reducing medications such as elamax cream non prescription anesthetic cream, infant Tylenol, sucrose water, Kosher sweet wine or sweet grape juice and a lidocaine based ointment for aftercare.

I believe that this recipe of helpful ingredients diminish the baby's discomfort in a rational and reasonable way. I feel the use of injection anesthetics is overly aggressive and exposes the baby to potentially serious complication without
significant beneficial effect. Injection anesthetic is not considered acceptable under Jewish law in certain Jewish religious circles. I will however, agree to use an injection anesthetic (dorsal block) if a family requests its use.

Mogen Clamp Technique

This instrument allows the fastest procedure time and is least traumatic to the baby, in my opinion. It is also a "kosher" method of circumcision, important if the family is observant or if an observant observer will be present at the Bris.

Circumcision and Device Illustrations

I do not "prep" the baby in anyway, except for the topical application of ELAMAX anesthetic cream.

The "prep" usually entails strapping the baby on a restraining board, cutting and clamping using the Gomco clamp, then bringing the baby out for the ceremony, strapped and clamped, covered by a blanket so that the device is not visible to the guests. A final cut, necessary with the use of the Gomco Clamp, occurs later during the ceremony.

No restraining board...
unless the parents insist on its use. I feel that the use of a pillow is more traditional, less traumatic to the baby, works equally well and it allows the baby to be held in the comforting arms of loved ones rather than restrained by velcro straps while laying on a cold, hard board. Additionally, the board is inherently abhorrent to many of the guests and family members who watch the procedure being conducted. It scares them to see the baby restrained on a board.

Picture of Restraining Board

If a family is interfaith, I incorporate the non-Jewish members equally into the ceremony. I am well recognized for my efforts to educate guests throughout the course of the ceremony. I integrate an explanation with blessings while at the same time directing the participants.

Please refer to my goals page.

1. Location of the ceremony.
2. Time of the ceremony. I charge an extra fee of $100.00 for ceremonies that are conducted after 5 p.m..
3. If a ceremony is postponed until a Sunday. As a professional mohel, I strongly encourage adherence to the eighth day rule, as stated on the "Timing for the Ceremony" page. If a ceremony is postponed and rescheduled into a Sunday, I charge an extra fee, approximately $100+. If the ceremony is rescheduled into any other day of the week, except for Saturday, --- I do not allow rescheduling into the Sabbath, i.e. Saturday --- there is NO extra fee.
4. To reiterate, I will only perform a bris on a Saturday IF THE BABY IS BORN ON A SATURDAY.
5. I DO NOT CHARGE an extra fee for a Sunday bris IF THE BABY IS BORN ON A SUNDAY.
6. I encourage adherence to the eighth day rule.
7. If an overnight stay is required, a fee is assessed for the expense of the overnight accommodation at a motel.

Please contact my office for a complete list of references. Also, review my Letters of Recommendation, from within this web site. Letters of Recommendation