Blog

The Importance of the Eighth Day

Phallic Cookies

How much humor belongs at a bris? A little laughter is welcome, but the day is about family, covenant, and welcoming a child into a tradition thousands of years old, cookies and all.

After-Care: Post-Operative Instructions for the First Week

After a bris, replace the gauze at every diaper change with a 3x3 inch pad coated with triple antibiotic ointment for one full week; redness and a white or yellowish film are normal healing. Call Rabbi Glantz at 215-439-5033 with any question, any time.

The Two Certificates Rabbi Glantz Brings to Every Bris

Rabbi Glantz brings two certificates to every bris: a custom bris certificate with your son's Hebrew and English names, and a kippah warranty good for a free replacement when he outgrows the one from his bris.

Ideas for Older Siblings (and Cousins) at the Bris

Two time-tested ways to involve older siblings at a bris: presenting the baby with a tzedakah box and adding coins during the ceremony, and decorating the pillowcase used on the Throne of Elijah.

Glossary of Bris Terms, Hidur Mitzvah, Sandek, Kvatter & More

Plain-language definitions of the Hebrew and Yiddish terms families meet when planning a bris: Hidur Mitzvah, the Throne of Elijah, sandek, kvatter and kvatterin, minyan, mohel, motzi, tallit, and more.

Brit Kodesh, A Sacred Covenant: Rabbi Glantz's Training at JTS

Brit Kodesh was a Jewish Theological Seminary program that trained physicians as mohalim. Rabbi Glantz was one of the rare non-physicians admitted and certified, on the strength of his hospital training and working experience as a mohel.

Had a Girl? Mazel Tov! Welcoming Daughters with a Brit Habat

A daughter is welcomed with a brit habat, a baby naming ceremony Rabbi Glantz officiates at home or in synagogue. It is not tied to the eighth day, so you can schedule it whenever works best for your family.

Travel Limits, How Far Will Rabbi Glantz Travel for a Bris?

Rabbi Glantz's regular service area covers PA, NJ, NY, CT, DE, and MD, but he has performed britot in most East Coast states and families have flown him abroad. The honest answer: call 215-439-5033 and ask.

Interfaith? Not Jewish? Rabbi Glantz Welcomes Every Family

Rabbi Glantz never turns a family away based on financial matters, religious belief, or sexual orientation. He crafts ceremonies meaningful to Jewish and non-Jewish guests alike, and serves fully non-Jewish families through CircumcisionPro.com.

The Prayers of the Bris

The bris liturgy moves from welcoming the baby with Baruch HaBa, through the blessings over wine and the act of milah, to the giving of the Hebrew name. Rabbi Glantz brings a one-page Hebrew, transliteration, and English reference to every bris.

How Do You Spell B-R-I-S? (And M-O-Y-E-L?), Plus Some Humor

There is no single correct English spelling of bris or mohel: brit is the Hebrew for covenant, bris its Yiddish pronunciation, and moyel is how most Americans say mohel. Plus a running list of every TV episode that featured a bris.

Pain Management at the Bris

Rabbi Glantz manages pain in stages: LMX 4 numbing cream on arrival, sweet kosher wine or grape juice during the brief procedure, and a well-timed feeding right after, with Tylenol dosing or a dorsal penile block available to discuss with your doctor.

PJ Library: A Wonderful Resource for New Jewish Parents

PJ Library sends free, high-quality Jewish books every month to children ages six months through eight years, no fees or strings attached. Rabbi Glantz recommends it as one of the simplest ways to make Judaism joyful at home.

The Throne of Elijah

The Throne of Elijah is the chair, from simple folding chair to ornate synagogue throne, where the sandek holds the baby at every bris. Elijah, the angel of the covenant, is thought to be seated at the sandek's right.

Traditional Honors at the Bris

The sandek, who holds the baby during the ceremony, is the highest honor at a bris; the kvatterin and kvatter carry the baby in. Candle lighting, readings, and a family tallit wrap offer more ways to include loved ones.

Medical Studies and Circumcision

Circumcision is a personal decision parents deserve to make without judgment. Rabbi Glantz curates the most current, balanced medical research, from Mayo Clinic and ACOG guidance to a 2025 Johns Hopkins study on US circumcision rates.

My Favorite Jewish Causes

Two causes closest to Rabbi Glantz's heart: Leket Israel, the national food bank rescuing 10,000 tons of produce a year, and Orr Shalom, caring for about 1,300 of Israel's most vulnerable children annually.