The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on each and every corner of our society, and circumcision ceremonies are no stranger to it. Considering the March-June 2020 lockdown and the general population’s reluctance towards social gatherings, a downtick in circumcision ceremonies was to be unexpected for both parents and mohels. However, what was the actual reality during the harshest months of the pandemic? Did mohels perform fewer circumcisions on babies? Or did a documented increase in home births allow for more private circumcision ceremonies to flourish?
Rabbi Avraham Rappaport, a second-generation expert mohel currently active in the MD/DC/VA area, is here to talk about how mohels performed this most sacred of covenant during the COVID-19 pandemic. Contrary to the anticipated decrease in circumcision ceremonies, Rabbi Rappaport saw more and more families seize the opportunity of celebrating the Bris Milah ceremony in the comfort of their homes, surrounded only by close family. Today’s blog will talk about mohels and circumcision ceremonies during the COVID-19 pandemic and how Rabbi Rappaport performed hundreds of perfect circumcisions during these two difficult years.
An Increase in Home Births
The COVID-19 pandemic altered the perception of hospital births. As a result, a growing number of parents reconsidered home births as a safer way to bring their children into the world. In contrast, many hospitals discontinued circumcision procedures as a safety measure. Without the hospital environment, parents were left to rely on mohels for their newborn sons’ circumcisions in an atmosphere of happy domesticity.
For Rabbi Rappaport, the decrease in hospital circumcisions came as an actual blessing. As we’ve seen in a past establishment, poor training, lack of expertise, and conservative orientation to the procedure heavily impact hospital circumcisions, with unsatisfactory results. More often than not, the area barely looks circumcised, is aesthetically displeasing, and paves the way for infections to develop. However, the risks of infection posed by hospital births and circumcision procedures allowed Rabbi Rappaport to perform more at-home circumcision ceremonies and prevent the need for circumcision revision procedures in the future.
Did the Number of Circumcision Procedures Decrease?
Regardless of the expected downtick in ritual circumcisions, Rabbi Rappaport had almost twice the number of opportunities to bless families with their sons’ first covenant during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the pre-pandemic period saw Rabbi Rappaport perform five to seven circumcisions a week, the numbers skyrocketed since mid-March, with Rabbi Rappaport performing 10 to 15 circumcision procedures per week. Contrary to the expected wave of circumcision ceremony cancellations, quite a few families decided to go through with the ceremonies in a healthy, COVID-19-free setting. Because of this course, Rabbi Rappaport performed over 600 circumcisions in 2020 and most of 2021 alone.
How Does Rabbi Rappaport Perform Circumcisions on Babies during COVID-19?
The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t stop Rabbi Rappaport from performing perfect circumcisions in a safe, healthy environment. During the first month of the lockdown, Rabbi Rappaport performed circumcision ceremonies only in the parents’ company, while close family and friends attended the ceremonies through ZOOM. Later on, as vaccines were rolled out, Rabbi Rappaport performed circumcision ceremonies in a more cheerful setting, usually outdoors, while following the CDC health guidelines, which ensured both the baby’s safety and the parent’s comfort. Rabbi Rappaport takes pride in parents who prefer safety over risks, and with their help, he has blessed more newborn babies with their first covenant than he ever thought possible.
Newborn Baby Circumcisions and the Omicron Variant
The ascendancy of the Omicron variant reignited the general population’s fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus. With more than 500,000 COVID-19 cases on average in the month of January, some parents had to reschedule circumcision ceremonies due to the higher risk of being exposed to the virus. Although not enough to curve the number of circumcisions as a whole, the Omicron variant did cause a downtick in the circumcision ceremony numbers. However, as the Omicron wave is nearing its peak, the decrease in COVID-19 cases will surely empower more parents to entrust their newborn son’s first covenant with God in the hands of Rabbi Rappaport! We also invite you to read or write a review of your experience with Rabbi Rappaport!
Choosing Rabbi Rappaport for a Perfect Circumcision Experience!
With over 600 circumcision ceremonies conducted across the country during the pandemic, Rabbi Avraham Rappaport is one of the best expert mohels you can count on in the MD/DC/VA area. Whether it’s for yourself or your newborn son, Rabbi Rappaport is ready to put his wealth of knowledge and experience at your service and guide you through your very own perfect, Covid-19-free circumcision experience! Thousands of grateful families recommend him as the perfect mohel for the perfect Bris Milah ceremony! So don’t hesitate to contact Rabbi Rappaport and entrust your baby’s first covenant into his hands right away!
If you plan to organize a ritual circumcision for yourself or your child, let Rabbi Rappaport do the job. Contact him anytime on his cell at: 443-790-6541. You can also send him an email at rabbi@mdmohel.com or visit his website. He will be happy to support you in making sure you have a perfect experience!
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