Frequently Asked Questions

Please call anytime.  Although some Mohalim will not discuss a Berit Mila until the baby is born, you are welcome to call prior to the delivery with any questions. After the baby is born, please call as soon as possible - during daytime or early evening hours.

Berit Mila takes place on the 8th day after the baby's birth. The day the baby is born counts as day number one.  This means that the Berit Mila will take place on the same day of the week as the baby was born - the following week.  However, a baby born after sundown is considered to have been born the next day - thus, the ceremony is delayed by one day. The timing for Berit Bat offers more flexibility. It is traditional for both ceremonies to take place in the morning, at the beginning of the 8th day; however, it may be possible to adjust the timing of the ceremony on the 8th day.

Because the mitzvah of welcoming a baby into the covenant with God on the 8th day is considered so important, the Berit Mila may take place on Shabbat or holidays, including Yom Kippur.  This includes babies who are born by medically indicated cesarean sections.  In the case of elective cesarean sections, the bris is typically delayed until after Shabbat or holiday.
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No.  Performing a Berit Mila before the 8th day does not fulfill the mitzvah.   It is not done.

In Reform Judaism a child may be considered Jewish if either parent is Jewish - not just the mother. Therefore, no change in ceremony is required. For Conservative Jews, the rules are different. If the mother is not Jewish, then a B'rit Mila "for the purpose of conversion" can be done.  

Fees for circumcision (for boys), the ceremony and travel can be discussed by calling Dr. Lefkowitz directly.  The fees do vary based on distance to the ceremony.  Dr. Lefkowitz donates a portion of her fee to Jewish organizations.