Celebrants of Brit Shalom

Brit Shalom Celebrants

For simplicity, this page may now be cited as http://tinyurl.com/britshalom or http://shalom.notlong.com.

Brit Shalom is a non-cutting naming ceremony which replaces Brit Milah (ritual circumcision) for newborn Jewish boys. It is not intended for boys who have previously been circumcised in a hospital. It can be similar to the naming ceremony traditionally used for baby girls. It may be performed by a Rabbi or other experienced lay leader. If desired, celebrants can aid parents in devising their own ceremony. It has also been termed Alternative Brit (or Bris), Brit B'li Milah (Covenant without cutting) and Brit Chayim (Covenant of Life).

Not all the celebrants listed are opposed to Brit Milah. However, they are all committed to providing service to families unwilling to circumcise their sons, by officiating at Brit Shalom ceremonies. This list is continually being updated.

(Canada, Europe, United Kingdom)

UNITED STATES
(Click on the light blue states for the celebrants there)

States (alphabetical)

Arizona
California
Colorado
Delaware
District of Columbia

Florida
Illinois
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan

Missouri
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Ohio

Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Washington
Virginia

ARIZONA

Rabbi Jack Silver
1506 East Candlestick Dr.
Tempe, AZ 85283
(602) 751-9044
humanjew@yahoo.com
www.humanjew.com

CALIFORNIA

SO CAL

Eric A. Gordon, PhD, Secular Jewish vegvayzer/madrikh/Leader
9514 National Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90034-2820
(310) 839-9915
ericarthur@aol.com

Rosalie Gottfried, Madrikha
29382 Buckhaven
Laguna Niguel CA 92677
(949) 249-3755 or (949) 770-6662
rosart1@aol.com
www.jewishceremonies.com

Hershl Hartman, Secular Jewish vegvayzer/madrikh/Leader
Education Director, The Sholem Community and Educational Institute
3142 S. Bentley Ave.
Los Angeles CA 90034
(310) 473-4323
hershl@earthlink.net
www.sholem.org

Eliyahu Ungar-Sargon
1108 South Corning St. #4
Los Angeles, CA 90035
(312) 925-9819
eliungar@mac.com
www.cutthefilm.com

NO CAL

Lissin Lev Chaya, Celebrant
Pacifica
(650) 455-8438
Celebrant@lissinsong.com
www.LissinSong.com
Lissin will travel throughout the greater Bay Area.

Susan Epstein, Cantorial Soloist
P.O. Box 20173
Oakland CA 94620
(510) 220-1131
sloepp@mindspring.com

Rabbi Yeshaia Charles Familant
332 O'Connor St
Menlo Park CA 94025
(650) 326-5330
yeshaia@sbcglobal.net
Retired, but will refer inquirers to other colleagues

Cantor Linda Hirschhorn
PO Box 3929
Berkeley, CA 94703
(510) 654-0799
vocolot@mindspring.com
http://www.lindahirschhorn.com

Jewish Milestones
Berkeley
(510) 559-3636
Deb@JewishMilestones.org
www.JewishMilestones.org
Jewish Milestones serves as a resource for individuals and families, having a network of rabbis and cantors, as well as lay and professional facilitators who design and officiate at rituals all along the life cycle. This includes Brit Shalom welcoming ceremonies for boys without circumcision.

Rabbi Jerry Levy
12 Salt Landing
Tiburon CA 94920
H: (415) 388-8832
C: (415) 272-1607
rabbijerry@sbcglobal.net
rabbijerry.com

Rabbi Milton Matz, Ph.D
Walnut Creek CA
(925) 930-9208
mxm68@case.edu

Mark David Reiss, M.D. Position statement
773 Duncan Street
San Francisco CA 94131
(415) 647-2687
mdreissmd@gmail.com

Rabbi Nathan Segal
POB 880
Larkspur CA 94977
(415) 419-3511
nathan@rabbinathan.com
www.rabbinathan.com/

Rabbi and Cantor Judith Seid
1817 Sinclair Drive
Pleasanton CA 94588
(925) 485-1049
judithseid@aol.com

There are other celebrants in California who do not wish their contact information listed publicly. Please contact Mark D Reiss, M.D. for further information.

COLORADO

Miriam Pollack
P.O. Box 767
Boulder, CO 80306-0767
(303) 247-0790
m3pollack@comcast.net

Danya and Eyal Rivlin
Boulder, CO
(303) 229-8800
danyahome@msn.com

DELAWARE

Interfaith Clergy Network
Phone toll free: (877) 779-0017
interclerg@aol.com
http://www.interfaithclergynetwork.com/

DISTRICT of COLUMBIA

Rabbi Binyamin (Ben) Biber MSW
9039 Sligo Creek Pkwy #1410
Silver Spring MD 20901
(301) 563-6341
rav.bibi@verizon.net
www.machar.org

FLORIDA

Rabbi Jeffrey Falick
Miami Beach, Florida
jfalick@yahoo.com
www.TheAtheistRabbi.com

Betty Pelletz, Madrikha
3427 Winding Oaks Drive
Longboat Key FL 34228
(941) 383-1149
Besttwo@aol.com

Rhea Bolasny Seagull, Certified Leader, Leadership Conference of Secular & Humanistic Jews
Fort Lauderdale FL
(973) 325-7247
RheaCBS@aol.com (preferred means of contact)

Rebecca Wald
Serving Miami/Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties
(954) 319-6585
rwald@beyondthebris.com
www.beyondthebris.com

ILLINOIS

Rabbi Adam Chalom
Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation
P O Box 405, IL 60035
(847) 347-3003
info@kolhadash.com
http://www.kolhadash.com

Ruth Duskin Feldman, Madrikha/Humanistic Jewish Clergy
935 Fairview Road
Highland Park, IL 60035
(847) 433-2632
rdfeldman@aol.com
www.ruthduskinfeldman.com/disc.htm

Rabbi Jodi Kornfeld
Beth Chaverim Humanistic Jewish Community
1457 Wilmot Road
Deerfield, IL 60015
(847) 945-6512
rabbijodi@gmail.com
info@bethchaverim.net

Rabbi Brant Rosen
Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation
303 Dodge Avenue
Evanston, Illinois 60202
(847) 328-7678
Rabbi@jrc-evanston.org
www.jrc-evanston.org

There are other celebrants in Illinois who do not wish their contact information listed publicly. Please contact Mark D Reiss, M.D. for further information.

MARYLAND (See also DISTRICT of COLUMBIA)

Rabbi Binyamin (Ben) Biber MSW
9039 Sligo Creek Pkwy #1410
Silver Spring MD 20901
(301) 563-6341
rav.bibi@verizon.net
www.machar.org

There are other celebrants in Maryland who do not wish their contact information listed publicly. Please contact Mark D Reiss, M.D. for further information.

MASSACHUSETTS

Dennis Geller, Ph.D. Madrikh/Humanistic Jewish Clergy
8 Thayer Place
Brookline MA 02445
(617) 529-9483
dpgeller@humanist-rites.com
www.humanist-rites.com

Ronald Goldman
Circumcision Resource Center
PO Box 232
Boston MA 02133
(617) 523-0088
crc@circumcision.org
www.circumcision.org

Elaine Kamienny, Madrikha, Humanistic Jewish Clergy
66D Brian Drive
Stoughton, MA 02072
(781) 341-1810
Elaine@CeremoniesOfLife.com
http://www.ceremoniesoflife.com/

Sunny Schwartz, MSW, Madrikha/Humanistic Jewish Clergy
54 Boylston St
Boston MA 02130
(617) 522 3888
sunnyschwartz@yahoo.com

Rabbi Elyse Wechterman
Congregation Agudas Achim
901 North Main Street
Attleboro MA 02703
(508) 222 2243
rabbi@agudasma.org
www.agudasma.org

MICHIGAN

Norm Cohen
NOCIRC of Michigan
PO Box 333
Birmingham MI 48012
(248) 642-5703
NormCohen@NOCIRCofMI.org

Rabbi Miriam S. Jerris, Ph.D.
10544 Lincoln Dr.
Huntington Woods MI 48070
(248) 543-7396
miriam@theweddingconnection.net
http://www.theweddingconnection.net/

Rabbi Tamara Kolton, Ph.D.
The Birmingham Temple
28611 West Twelve Mile Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Office (248) 477-1410
Cell (248) 885-0225
rabbikolton@birminghamtemple.org

Janis Levin-Gorelick, Counselor - Minister - Madrikha HSOF - LCSHJ
1401 Forest Bay Drive
Waterford MI 48328
(248) 681-0447
jgorelick@secularceremonies.net
http://www.secularceremonies.net/

MISSOURI

Rabbi Randy Fleisher
Central Reform Congregation
5020 Waterman Blvd
St. Louis, MO 63108
(314) 361-3919 x111
randy@centralreform.org

NEW JERSEY

Interfaith Clergy Network
Phone toll free: (877) 779-0017
interclerg@aol.com
http://www.interfaithclergynetwork.com/

Rhea Bolasny Seagull, Certified Leader, Leadership Conference of Secular & Humanistic Jews
662 Prospect Avenue
West Orange NJ 07052
(973) 325-7247
RheaCBS@aol.com (preferred means of contact)

NEW MEXICO

Keren Khaya Abrams, ordained Omanaya (Jewish ritual artist and spiritual guide)
Glorieta, NM (Santa Fe area - will travel)
(505) 349-4009
info@ritualartist.net
www.ritualartist.net

Rabbi Raymond Singer, Ph.D.
36 Alondra Road
Santa Fe NM 87508
work (505) 466-1100
fax (505) 466 1101
ray.singer@gmail.com
www.neurotox.com

NEW YORK

Interfaith Clergy Network
Phone toll free: (877) 779-0017
interclerg@aol.com
http://www.interfaithclergynetwork.com/

NYC

Rabbi Steven Blane
54 Riverside Drive
New York, NY 10024
(917) 407-0477
sblane1107@gmail.com
Website: www.Officiant.org
Havurah: www.SimShalom.com

Edward J. Klein (Zeke Katan)
Madrikh, Rabbinic Candidate, International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism
179-54 80^th Road
Jamaica Estates NY 11432-1402
(718) 380-5362
Madrikh@PeoplePC.com

The City Congregation for Humanistic Judaism
Rabbi Peter Schweitzer
249 West 34th St., Suite 600
New York, NY 10001
(212) 213-1002
info@citycongregation.org
www.citycongregation.org
citycongregation.blogspot

Moshe Rothenberg
715 Ocean Parkway Apt 2K
Brooklyn NY 11230
(mobile only) 347-248-6584
mrothenberg5@optonline.net

Rabbi Frank A. Tamburello
Westchester Community for Humanistic Judaism
319 East 50th Street - Apt 4C
New York, NY 10022
(631) 987-5347, (646) 964-4462
ftamburello@hotmail.com
wchj.org

UPSTATE

Mona Sulzman Spiritual Leader/Cantorial Soloist
3B1 Candlewyck Park
Ithaca NY 14850
(607) 277-7553
mobile (607)592-5386
monasulz@gmail.com

Barry A. Swan madrikh
Beth Haskalah, the Rochester Society for Humanistic Judaism
62 Laconia Parkway
Rochester NY 14618
(585) 461-5137
585-329-3305 (cell)
baswan@aol.com

There are other celebrants in New York who do not wish their contact information listed publicly. Please contact Mark D Reiss, M.D. for further information.

OHIO

Roberta Feinstein, Secular Jewish Madrikha/Leader
320 Claymore Blvd
Cleveland, OH 44143
(216) 481-0850
rifke@bronxbobbe.com

Bobbie Varble, Madrikha
Jewish Secular Community of Cleveland
Society of Humanistic Judaism
5600 A Emerald Ridge Parkway
Cleveland, OH 44139
(440) 498-4747

OREGON

Rabbi Hanan Sills
PO Box 5701
Eugene OR 97405
(541) 344-7945

Yehudah Alan Winter and Joanie Levine
Your Personal Ceremony
5707 NE 15th Avenue
Portland 97211
(503) 287-8737
(503) 679-5933
jlevinehummingbird@gmail.com
www.yourpersonalceremony.com

Rabbi Joey Wolf
Havurah Shalom
825 NW 18th Street
Portland OR 97209
(503) 248 4662
joey.wolf@havurahshalom.org
www.havurahshalom.org

PENNSYLVANIA

Interfaith Clergy Network
Phone toll free: (877) 779-0017
interclerg@aol.com
http://www.interfaithclergynetwork.com/

There are other celebrants in Pennsylvania who do not wish their contact information listed publicly. Please contact Mark D Reiss, M.D. for further information.

RHODE ISLAND

Rev. Ethan Adler, Spiritual Leader
Congregation Beth David, Narragansett, RI
60 Neptune Street
Cranston, RI 02920
(401) 486 -0110
eadler3@cox.net

VIRGINIA

Rabbi Binyamin (Ben) Biber MSW
9039 Sligo Creek Pkwy #1410
Silver Spring MD 20901
(301) 563-6341
rav.bibi@verizon.net
www.machar.org

Deb Godden, Madrikha
Charlottesville, VA
(434) 295-6911
deb@machar.org

Rhea Bolasny Seagull, Certified Leader, Leadership Conference of Secular & Humanistic Jews
Virginia Beach VA
(973) 325-7247
RheaCBS@aol.com (preferred means of contact)

WASHINGTON

Barbara H. Brandt, CHC, madrikha, Certified Humanist Clergy
235 S. Forest St
Bellingham, WA 98225
(360) 671-1889
bhbrandt@earthlink.net

Rabbi Jay B. Heyman, D.D.
8027 California Ave SW
Seattle WA 98136
(206) 708-6344
mobile (206) 484-4340
ravjay1@gmail.com
http://www.shalomspirit.org/

CANADA

ONTARIO

Rabbi Eva Goldfinger
(905) 889-7450
evagoldfinger@rogers.com

ISRAEL

There are celebrants in Israel who do not wish their contact information listed publicly. Please contact Mark D Reiss, M.D. for further information.

UNITED KINGDOM

LONDON

Laura Miller, Madricha, Humanist Jewish officiant
68 Etherley Road
London N15 3AU
England
(44 20) 8800 5120
madrichalaura02@yahoo.co.uk

There are other celebrants in London who do not wish their contact information listed publicly. Please contact Mark D Reiss, M.D. for further information.

EUROPE

GERMANY

Rabbi Kai Eckstein
Postfach 740121
22091 Hamburg
Germany
+49 (0)40 287 81 187
humanrabbi@hotmail.com
Rabbi Eckstein is a counselor or consultant for people who wish to learn more about Brit Shalom. He will not be actively officiating at ceremonies.

HUNGARY

Dr Hanoch Ben-Yami
Philosophy Department
Central European University
Nador u. 9, H-1051
Budapest
Hungary
+36 1 327 3000 ext. 2557
h.benyami@gmail.com

For the name of a Brit Shalom celebrant in your area
or to be added to this list,
email Dr Mark Reiss
or write to
Mark David Reiss, M.D.
773 Duncan Street
San Francisco California 94131
phone (415) 647-2687

CIRCUMCISION…MY POSITION
Mark D. Reiss, M.D.

Dr Mark Reiss

I am a retired physician, a Jew born in 1933 who is an active member of a Conservative synagogue, and a grandfather.

When I was in Medical School in the 1950s, almost all newborn males in the US were circumcised. Despite the fact that prophylactic surgery was not generally performed, we were taught that circumcision was the correct and healthy thing to do. It was thought to control masturbation, decrease cancer risk, and help curtail sexually transmitted diseases. We learned nothing of foreskin anatomy or function. Infant nervous systems were thought to be undeveloped and their pain was so trivialized that it was almost ignored. As a young physician, I participated in many circumcisions. Over the years I've witnessed brit milah in the homes of friends and family. I was mildly uncomfortable with the practice, but like most physicians, and like most Jews, I said and did nothing to question circumcision.

In 1999, as I was about to become a grandfather for the first time, my interest in the subject became more focused. I learned that more and more physicians now realize that any potential benefits of circumcision are far outweighed by its risks and drawbacks. The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated that "Routine circumcision is not necessary". Whether done by a physician in the hospital, or a mohel in a ritual brit milah, the procedure has significant complication rates of infection, hemorrhage and even death. Mortality may actually be higher than thought since some of these deaths have not been attributed to circumcision, but listed only under their secondary causes, such as hemorrhage or infection. I've learned of the very important role the foreskin has in the protection of the head of the penis in the infant, and in sexual functioning in adulthood. It has also been shown that the newborn feels pain even more acutely than adults do, and that many of the infants who stop crying during circumcision are actually in a state of traumatic shock. To my amazement I learned that the USA was the only country in the world routinely circumcising babies for non-religious reasons.

With these overwhelming reasons not to circumcise, I began to look at the practice of ritual circumcision in the Jewish community and I learned that: circumcision is not an identity issue. You do not need to be circumcised to be Jewish any more than the need to observe many other Jewish laws. The bottom line is this: if your mother is Jewish, you are Jewish, period. And in the Reform tradition, patrilineal descent is also accepted. Among Jews in Europe (only 40% of newborn Jewish boys in Sweden are being circumcised), South America, and even in Israel, circumcision is not universal. Growing numbers of American Jews are now leaving their sons intact as they view circumcision as a part of Jewish law that they can no longer accept. Alternative brit b'li milah or brit shalom ceremonies (ritual naming ceremony without cutting) are being performed by some rabbis. Increasing numbers of intact boys are going to religious school, having bar mitzvahs, and taking their place as young adults in the Jewish community.

As a Jewish grandfather, I want to assure young couples about to bring a child into the world, that there are other members of the Jewish "older" generation, including other Jewish physicians, and even some rabbis, who feel as I do. If your heart and instincts tell you to leave your son intact, listen!

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The Case for Brit Without Milah

Brit Shalom/Shalem ceremonies

Other Jewish commentary

Statement of the Leadership Conference of Secular and Humanistic Jews
Beyond the Bris

Ethics
Human Rights
Brit Shalom bumperstickers, T-shirts badges and magnets

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madrikh, madrikha (Hebrew, masc. and fem.):
vegvayzer (Yiddish): leader. All three terms are used to reflect the inclusiveness of the Secular and Humanistic movements in Judaism.

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