Two Bris Milahs in the Amazon

By COLlive reporter

It is not every day that two people decide to have a bris Milah in the Amazon. However, earlier this week it actually happened. Forty-one year old Isaac Portelo and 16 year old Saatchel Benesby flew to Manaus from the city of Porto Velho to be circumcised by the renowned Mohel from Argentina David Katche.

It all started on a visit by Rabbi Arieh Raichman, the Shliach in Manaus in Brazil, to the neighboring Amazon city of Porto Velho, a year ago.

“When I arrived in Porto Velho and visited the local community, they were all very excited to greet me,” he says.

“Some cried with emotion, while others were ecstatic with joy, as I was the first Rabbi to visit them. During the visit, I met Isaac and he told me that he wanted to be circumcised.

Isaac told him if the opportunity arises to do a bris, “call me and I will be there that same day.”

During that visit Raichman also met Saatchel and his family. However, when speaking about the possibility of having a bris Milah, Saatchel was not too excited.

Fast forward a year later and Manaus had the chance to receive the famous Mohel Rabbi David Katche who has done over 11,000 bris Milah all across South America, and is an expert Mohel for adults.

Just 4 months ago, he performed six adult brisot in S. Paulo, Brazil. The event was organized by Rabbi Noach Gansburg, the director of Centro Novo Horizonte. Two of the adults in that incredible event were from Manaus. However, this time the Mohel came to Manaus and gave the opportunity to all the Jews that did not yet have a bris Milah, to have one.

Saatchel had just returned from a Shabaton in S. Paulo organized by the Keren Nehor Menachem and returned home excited about Yiddishkeit. This time, when asked about doing a bris Milah he answered positively.

Within a day, a flight to Manaus was arranged and on Monday he received the name Moshe Chaim at his bris Milah. His mother that flew to accompany him commented, “It is an obligation for every Jewish male. And I am very happy that my son did it. When he was born I went around to doctors in Porto Velho to have him circumcised, but nobody wanted to do it. Now he did it, and he did it with a mohel.”

Isaac, determined to have the bris, cancelled all his meetings and scheduled to fly to Manaus. Even after his flight was cancelled, he did everything possible to arrive the next day. He received the name Isaac Yoel, and will Beezrat Hashem have his Bar Mitzvah this Shabbat.

At the Seudat Mitzvah he said a L’Chaim and said, “Now I feel that a big burden has been uplifted from me. I always felt something was missing.”