A World Record Bris

Every bris I’ve been to only had one screaming baby followed by a shmorgasborg of bagels and lox, mimosas, and mingling.  The ratio of surgical patients and onlookers has always been severly skewed – one crying baby to hoards of relatives and family friends. Apparently that’s not how they do it in the Phillipines. 

On May 7th, well over 1,500 boys were snipped for free at a daylong “Circumcision party”
I’m used to cosy living rooms with nachas schlepping bubbies, men cringing in solidarity and new mothers shielding their tearful eyes.

Instead, this party took place inside a sports stadium with makeshift operating tables in Markina city east of Manila and the snip-ees were 9-12 rather than 8 days old. It was an effort to provide free, safe procedures for this rite of passage common to pre-teen males to poor residents that would otherwise cost at least $40 in private hospitals. (http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/306500)

I’m not sure “party” is the word that comes to mind in this case.  Hundreds of crying young boys on folding tables sans kugel. Sounds like big fun! However, their mass circumcision does have something over Jewish brises. Their pain might get them into the Guinness Book of World Records while ours only earns us a joyous L’Chaim.

Still, I think I’ll stick with our kind of party!