Jewish group opens circumcision training program in Brussels

The European Jewish Association (EJA) and the Rabbinical Centre of Europe (RCE) have launched a new certification program in Brussels for Jewish circumcisers, known as mohels. Titled the Centre of Excellence for Religious Male Circumcision, the initiative provides advanced medical and safety training, practical assessment, and certification under the supervision of medical professionals. This program addresses increasing legal and political challenges to Jewish religious circumcision in Belgium and other European countries, where mohels are often not recognized as trained medical personnel. European Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Oliver Várhelyi, lauded the program as a “constructive and credible model” for meeting “European standards.” The curriculum covers newborn assessment, hygiene, infection prevention, and emergency response. Rabbi Menachem Margolin, chairman of EJA and RCE, stated, “We are creating the highest possible professional framework to support it.” This follows a 2013 effort by the Conference of European Rabbis to standardize ritual circumcision amidst similar legal challenges in Germany.