By Stan Goodenough
Nov 20, 2008
After Jews have lived in Denmark for hundreds of years, the 7000-strong community that resides there today may be forced to leave.
The country's legislators are studying a proposed law that would make the biblically-mandated Jewish rite of circumcising baby boys a crime.
Ynetnews reported in Israel Thursday that Denmark's National Council for Children (NCC) has recommended the legislation of a law banning circumcision of boys under the age of 15.
Circumcision - argued the NCC of the rite that has been practiced without protest for thousands of years by millions of circumcised men - "is the irreversible damage to a child's body before he is given the chance to object."
The cutting off of a fold of skin on a boy was comparable to so-called female circumcision, the council further claimed, triggering withering scorn from Denmark's Chief Rabbi, Bent Lexner
"The comparison between circumcision and the intentional mutilation of the female sex organ in certain societies is simply complete nonsense," Lexner said.
The controversial proposal has won support from Denmark's Ethics Council, meaning that only the parliament's medical committee can intervene and prevent it from being heard, Ynetnews said