Ceremony
The brit milah (bris) ceremony is the oldest continuously performed ritual in the Jewish tradition. By circumcising a newborn boy, we place upon him a physical, outward sign of belonging to the People of Israel. He becomes one more link in the unbroken chain of our tradition. The brit milah ceremony celebrates new life, new parenthood, and the expansion and continuation of Jewish peoplehood.
Our ancient tradition tells of the first circumcision of Abraham (at age 99!) and the covenant or connection between God and Abraham that was established through this act. This was the first commandment that God gave to Abraham, so it holds a special place in the Jewish tradition. Since that time, it has been considered the obligation of every parent to circumcise their son at 8 days of age. The brit milah is such an important mitzvah, that it supercedes the laws of Shabbat, which would normally prohibit such a surgery on a holy day.