Brit Yosef Yitzchak is an international non-profit organization dedicated to connecting Jewish men with their heritage by providing Brit Milah free of charge to any Jew anywhere in the world. The organization makes all the arrangements, performing the procedures in clinics or hospitals with specially trained surgeons and a mohel.

All expenses are paid, including a reception with kosher food following the ceremony to celebrate the joyous occasion. Because a majority of the adults that receive the service did not have a Bar Mitzvah either, the organization also awards them a tallit and tefillin.

The organization was founded in Israel by Rabbi Yaron Amit in 1990, when hundreds of thousands of Jewish immigrants began arriving from former Soviet Union countries. Rabbi Amit immediately offered his services as a mohel to the newly arrived adults and youths who were eager to connect with their Jewish heritage. Today the organization is active throughout the world. They operate a comprehensive resource center, including a network of volunteers and a 24-hour hotline. They have performed over 27,000 adult circumcisions and 10,000 infant procedures.

Beside Israel, Brit Yosef Yitzchak receives requests from Jewish adults and parents of Jewish youths in countries of the former Soviet Union, where Brit Milah was outlawed for many decades, and from Jews in the U.S. and other free countries where many immigrated to. They also perform many brittim on children of parents who chose not to circumcise their children. When the children grow up, they choose to have a Brit because they realize that their primal connection dating back to the time of Abraham is missing. After confirming that a potential client is indeed Jewish, Brit Yosef Yitzchak dispatches a mohel to anywhere that a Brit is needed.

Why would an adult want to put himself through such an uncomfortable procedure? According to Rabbi Gansburg, Executive Director of Brit Yosef Yitzchak, U.S.A., “It is the neshama of the Jew that feels incomplete.” As of this date, the oldest man to have a circumcision through the organization was 81 years old.”

The brit for an adult or youth is performed in a hospital setting under the supervision of a specially trained surgeon and mohel. The average cost of a brit is $680, including traveling expenses for the mohel, surgeon’s fee, hospital fees, and other medical expenses.

Brit Yosef Yitzchak has reached 235 cities around the globe. They perform approximately 3,000 circumcisions per year. Not a day passes, where someplace in the world the organization is not doing a brit. The organization has the capacity to perform 30,000 per year, but a lack of funds prohibits them from reaching that goal.

Rabbi Gansburg states, “It’s an exceptionally rewarding feeling to know that another Jew has the great fortune to carry with himself an integral mitzvah for the rest of his life. The experience is life altering.” As Professor Steve Dandalos, who had a brit here in Florida at the age of 63 said afterwards, “I finally feel like a complete Jew!”

Rabbi Gansburg offers, “As we know, at the time of the Brit all the doors of heaven are open.” He urges participation in this vital and important mitzvah.

For more information or to contribute to this very important project contact us