The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume] (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1939-1992, 1949-01-14


sufficiently telling illustration of the capacity for difference
of opinion enjoyed and INDUCED in by the community
There was problem however which recently qalva-
nzed the entire community into action transcending all pri
allegances and individual feates welding the
small ercey loyal units into This had happen
for if immediate and drastic steps had been taken
major tragedy would have been visited upon religious
wel-being
For several years the brew had been fermentn Various
local physicians had also raised their voices of discomfort
from time to time. Finally the matter could longer be
enced It brought to the attention of the public that
the "MoheP' was getting old and incompetent
Rumors of supposed mishaps Observation-Disclosures in
some and malciouslY initiated in ohersneverheess
undermined the faith Of people in the reliability of the
Nobel Pregnant inspired by fear dreaded the
pect Of bearing boys who insisted the
OF the Nobel precitaed major family quarres Even those
who were reliqously netcuous and observant began
fear mpasse when irresistible protective emotions Of
mothers bosered by the claims Of the medical would
meet the movable force of religious tradition Mohelm OF
the neighboring communities whose reputation enhanced
by distance could the tension because they
to infringe the rights of the local Nobel when they
called upon to perform.
The most difficult aspect of the entire unpleasant situation
was that there forum upon which the complaints or
defense could be properly aired and judged There were
many who this conflict still another facet of the mani
fold battle between Religion and Science. When the ply
canS IN all honesty began to talk OF the need Tor aepuc
chnlques the knowledge of anatomy the control OF inject
lon etc. the proponents of Science regardless OF the cir
cmanceS rushed to its Defense and to the attack on ru
circumcision Responsible leaders of the community had no
way OF examining the qualifications of the Mohelm or de
lending them in scientific terms even when their qua
caoS were acceptable Nor had the critical physicians any
wand method of judging the Mohelm They agreed IN gen
era TERMS with the dsdan of the professional for the lay
man, that the nobel must ipso facto be inadequate
Regardless of the of the the unavaiabtY OF
such proper medium for roundtable constructive ais
cussion the problem the give and for the
healthy solution of unpleasant situation made it lpos
s tor positive action be taken to either dspe inc
unors correct the conditions they implied instead me
uors in geoetric proportions Those less
encouraged and bolsered by medical testimony that
was barbac and dangerous made the first break Gradually
they began employ the services of physician to perform
crcumcisons beautiful and basic traditional rite OF our
people made appear backward dangerous and De-
gan to be abandonded
, Even when under the pressure of public opinion ana
prodding of the DOCTORS the Nobel was penSloneo anu
Two other competent Mohelim brought to the Guy oul
troubles not over For the dam had already oeeh
broken The same objections that were eveed against te
Oretired Nobel also lodged against the new lnc
tents The Jewish physicians continued to talk aoou @
need for aseptc technques and the knowledge OF anatomy
-fCoo4;u,,ad pace Six