| Kahal was established on June 2000 by a number of parents who decided not to circumcise their sons. The community is not a formal organization or entity, and includes only parents to intact children. |
The objectives of the community were to be a place for parents to uncircumcised children where they can meet other parents and receive information about issues of interest, and consult other parents or professionals by phone.
For that end the community has, among other things, names of doctors who are 'foreskin-friendly'. In addition a web site and a hot line were set up to give information to the public, where future parents, who debated whether to circumcise their sons, can find information about the subject.
So far we have received many calls and emails through the web site and hot line, from a wide variety of people.
The activity of the community now mainly consists of:
The community comprises of people who are well involved in the Israeli society, educated, mostly secular (although there are also those who define themselves as traditional Jews or even as religious Jews) in a wide spectrum of professions and political views. From the time of establishing the community, hundreds of parents have joined it, and what is common to all of them is the decision not to surrender to the dominating social norm in Israel and to spare their sons the pain, suffering, risks and damages which are caused and might be caused by circumcision – a procedure that is considered 'easy' and accepted in Israeli society.
Due to the tolerant nature of its activity, the community does not engage in preaching against circumcision and of course has no 'anti-Jewish' or 'anti-religious' nature (the members are mostly Jews and Israelis, although no other sectors are excluded). In terms of information, the community only supplies information to those who are interested and contact us to receive this information.
Based on this tolerance, the names of community members are confidential and not published in the media or in any other way, save those members who have decided, personally, and not as representatives of the community, to be interviewed or to participate in public activity. This confidentiality stems from the fact that part of the community includes children and babies who their right to privacy is a matter of course.
This web site was set up to act against the ignorance about circumcision. Years of misleading education and concealed information led many people (including ourselves) to think that circumcision is a simple cut of a 'redundant piece of skin', which carries no risks and has medical benefit, a cut which the baby almost does not feel. This statement is full of mistakes! A lot of information which support our objection to circumcision can be found on internet web sites, scientific publications, experiences of other parents, newspapers articles and television programs etc.
Educate yourselves before you take the knife to the baby!