Rabbi Golish

Choosing a mohel is one of the first important decisions parents make for their newborn son. For many families, the search begins simply enough. You ask friends or your rabbi for recommendations, search online for a mohel in New Jersey, read some reviews, and start making phone calls. But how do you actually compare one mohel to another? A Bris Milah is a deeply meaningful Jewish milestone, but it also involves entrusting someone with your newborn baby. The person you choose should bring...

Home births and birthing center deliveries have become an increasingly familiar choice for families who want a more personal birth experience. If you're expecting a baby boy, however, there's another part of the newborn period that's worth planning for ahead of time: his bris or circumcision. For Jewish families, a home birth generally doesn't make arranging a bris complicated at all. In fact, in many ways the two can fit together very naturally. A mohel can come directly to your home,...

A practical guide for guests, relatives, coworkers, and anyone attending a bris for the first time. Are You Supposed to Bring a Gift to a Bris? A bris is not like a birthday party, wedding, or baby shower where guests may feel expected to arrive with a gift. The main purpose of a bris is not gift-giving. It is a religious ceremony marking a Jewish baby boy’s entry into the covenant of Abraham. Family and friends come to celebrate with the parents, share in the simcha, and be part of an...