By COLlive reporter
Thirteen years ago, at the height of the dot com frenzy, Brooklyn mohel Rabbi Levi Heber launched circumcision.net, a website promoting understanding and education about Jewish circumcision.
“This was made possible with the help of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Kazen, the late founder of chabad.org, and a good friend Shimi Goldberger,” said Rabbi Heber.
“Many were turning to the internet as a new resource of an untapped medium, so I decided to go high-tech with this age-old commandment of Bris Milah.”
It all started in 1990 when Rabbi Heber was sent by the Rebbe to Russia to run the Moscow region Gan Israel overnight summer camp.
“It did not take long for us to realize that almost no one had a Bris or a Jewish name. With minimal communication in the Russian language, campers agreed to do a Bris. I was so overwhelmed to see the courage and self-sacrifice displayed by these young campers that I committed myself to make this Mitzvah as painless and meaningful as possible.”
Today, Rabbi Heber is the Director of the International Bris Association promoting and helping arrange a proper Bris for anyone in need, at any location world wide and, if necessary, for no cost.
Heber added that many service industries have since been mostly web-run. The distinction of Bris is that it has to be performed by a Mohel as a human act.
The circumcision.net website is intended to help educate about the importance of a proper Bris by a Mohel.
To date it is the most informative and highest ranked ritual circumcision website. “I can see the traffic increase when ever Bris is discussed by the media.”
The latest controversy was over a group in S. Francisco which is taking their fight against circumcision to the ballot.
They are requesting that voting in November should include classifying circumcision of boys under the age of 18 as a misdemeanor carrying a maximum punishment of one year in prison and a $1,000 fine.
“Any attempt to restrict its practice would be a direct assault on the Jewish way of life and a blatant violation of religious freedom,” Rabbi Heber told Chabad.org in response.
“Circumcision attests to the everlasting covenant that G-d established with the Jewish people. It is one of the most fundamental commandments to the Jewish people, religious and non-religious.
In honor of the website’s Bar Mitzvah celebration and thanks to the International Bris Association, circumcision.net is going to be updated with a new look and a greater knowledge base.
Shluchim I urge you to encourage your balabatim to have brisim, for many it is cost that stops them and RAbbi Levi is so accomodating, his goal is to make sure a Jewish child had a kosher bris!! We just had him come for a couple in our community and they were so happy and impressed by his love, talent and care!
A Shlucha
a warm mohel, wondeful to deal with!
he did all 4 of my sons. a real mentch. keep up the good work
Rabbi Heber is the best!
He is so comforting and you can sense his love and compassion to children.
I loved the way he handled our son.
I am friendly with the father of a child whose son was circumsized by Rabbi Heber.
When he took his son to a renowned (Goy) Pediatrician for a check-up , the specialist asked the father who performed the Bris his son’s circumcision was the best he’s seen! – It’s not surprising he is so popular
Rabbi Heber great Mohel!
Speaking from experience of my own son.
Be matzliach in your endeavors to spread the mitzvah of Milah.