Israeli Woman Faces Fines for Refusing to Circumcise Son
Levied by Rabbinical court
The Rabbinical Court in Jerusalem rejected an appeal Monday by a Netanya woman fined NIS 500 ($140) per day for refusing to circumcise her son, as is required by Jewish law (halacha).
The penalty was initially levied by a rabbinical court in Netanya earlier this year at the request of the woman's estranged husband who has demanded that the circumcision take place. The two are reportedly undergoing divorce proceedings, and the court stated that it believes her refusal was part of some ploy to save her marriage.
The woman's lawyer claimed that the rabbinical court had no authority to order the woman to circumcise her son, who is now a year old.
(Hat tip to the Reason commenter The Rt. Hon. Serious Man Visc.)