How to Find a Mohel
A mohel, or moyel, is a certified Jewish man who performs ritual circumcisions in the Brit Milah celebration after a Jewish baby boy is born. It is performed 8 days after the boy is born and is a mitzvah (or holy deed) for all observant Jews. Finding a mohel in your area to perform this important rite of passage may be easier than you think.
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Instructions
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Contact your local synagogue. Whether or not you belong to a temple or synagogue in your area, most rabbis will be more than happy to help with the location of a mohel for your baby's bris. In this instance, it has less to do with whether or not you are a member of their temple, and more to do with helping a fellow Jew and celebrating a great and important life cycle event. Also, if you do have a relationship with a rabbi or synagogue in your area, the rabbi may be able to recommend someone that is affiliated with your synagogue specifically, making it even easier and possibly less expensive.
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If you are in a big city, go to your local Jewish Community Center. While these centers are not usually affiliated with any single synagogue, they almost always have resources and outreach programs that include helping new families locate mohelim for their newborns. There may be workshops or classes for new parents that include an introduction to a mohel at some point in the class. Contact your local JCC to find out what workshops they specifically run and you'll be sure to find something.
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Locate a mohel online. Believe it or not, even mohelim have branched out into cyberspace. There are a number of extensive resources on the Web (listed below) that can help you locate a mohel, no matter how big or small the city you live in.
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Use word of mouth. The best endorsement one can possibly get for a mohel is from another parent who has used their services. What better way to ensure that the mohel you are hiring for your son's brit milah is skilled and dependable, than a recommendation from someone who has just gone through the process. If you are having children, it's a good possibility that some of your contemporaries are also having children. Don't be afraid to ask who they used, and if you attend a brit milah yourself, talk to the mohel yourself afterward.
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