Praise for Celebrating Brit Shalom

"It is such a beautiful book. Really thoughtful and well organized. I think you tackle the issue with intellect, plurality, tolerance and care. Very impressive."
—Rabbi Lori Shapiro, The Open Temple, Venice CA 

"Celebrating Brit Shalom is a remarkably honest, beautiful, and sacred offering reimagining one of the most highly charged Jewish practices—circumcision. Whatever your views on brit milah the ceremonies in this book are wise, sensitive, and poetic attempts to honor both genuine painful human experience and the desire to enter the covenantal drama of this people. Celebrating Brit Shalom will help thousands of people and no doubt open up new conversations of heart, mind and spirit. A loving, healthy, and holy religion should not only permit nothing less but should celebrate such efforts." —Rabbi Irwin Kula, President of The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership

"There has long been an undercurrent of debate and dissent about circumcision among Jews. Is it necessary, humane, moral to welcome a baby boy into the community through an act of violence? Lisa Braver Moss and Rebecca Wald offer a loving alternative, a joyous non-violent ceremony. I wish I'd had this book when my own son was born!" 
—Michael Kimmel, Director, Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities, Stony Brook University

"Celebrating Brit Shalom is a milestone: the first-ever book written for Jewish families, like mine, that have carefully weighed the potential benefits and risks of infant circumcision and have decided to opt out. Without being preachy or judgmental of those families who make a different choice, Celebrating Brit Shalom gets the tone just right." —Jennifer Margulis, author of Your Baby, Your Way

"As a modern orthodox rabbi I can not be expected to speak on behalf of families who choose to not have a traditional brit (circumcision) for their son. However, as a modern orthodox rabbi I must be sensitive to this trend and most certainly I must not 'close the door' to their participation fully in all aspects of Jewish life. The book Celebrating Brit Shalom is a positive attempt to keeping those doors open. I applaud the authors and their collaborators for this volume whose impact on the Jewish world will be judged only in future years. Such sincere attempts to bring meaningful ceremonies to light are part of our long history as a proud people." —Rabbi Simcha A. Green

"Holistic and naturally-minded parenting is no longer a fad, it's a way of life for many of today's parents. Jewish parents are of course included in this group. In deciding not to circumcise, parents are recognizing that the body functions best in its natural state, and that trauma to the newborn should be avoided when possible. Finally an alternative for families questioning circumcision and embracing their faith." —Brian Leaf, author of Misadventures of a Parenting Yogi 

"Without asking anyone’s permission, Braver Moss and Wald have crafted a beautiful series of alternative welcoming ceremonies that are in deep conversation with the Jewish tradition. The fact that Celebrating Brit Shalom exists is a testament to both the ingenuity of its creators and the vitality of the Jewish tradition…. Welcome to Kickstarter Judaism, where committed, textually savvy Jews make an end-run around the institutions that have failed them and take back their tradition." 
—Eli Ungar-Sargon from his review in Tikkun.

"A real contribution. The authors steer clear of polemics and simply present brit shalom as a choice, which makes the book particularly powerful. Most importantly, the lovely ceremonies they have designed will help families express their Jewish values in new and old ways." —Rabbi Julie Saxe-Taller, Congregation Sherith Israel, San Francisco CA

Gearing Up to Fulfill Rewards

We have exciting news to report. Proof copies of Celebrating Brit Shalom are hot off the press. That's right—we have a finished book in hand that does justice to the important emerging ritual of brit shalom!

Celebrating Brit Shalom Book Slated for Spring Publication

Hello friends and backers! We’re checking in to let you know what we’ve been up to since the end of our Kickstarter campaign. For those who supported us and chose a reward, you can expect to receive it shortly before our publication date, now slated for this spring. We’ll keep you in the loop with more specifics as that time nears.  

It's Not Too Late to "Kickstart" Us!

If you missed our official 45-day Kickstarter campaign, it's not too late to back us. We still have several great "rewards" to choose from, deliverable once the book and songs are ready for publication—but in advance of our official pub date. For example, you can pre-order a copy of "Celebrating Brit Shalom" for your local rabbi. Funds raised during Kickstarter (and now in the post-Kickstarter phase) will go toward the many aspects of book production, publicity, sending review copies, website development, and more.

Books Gifted to U.S. Rabbis Will Be Matched

Non-circumcising Jewish families will now be able to have a beautiful prayer book of alternative bris ceremonies, thanks our successful Kickstarter campaign. The campaign wraps up at 6:00 A.M. Friday—so it's not too late to help us reach our stretch goal of getting our book to U.S. rabbis.

We're Funded!

We have wonderful news to report! Celebrating Brit Shalom is fully funded and will be available this fall. We look forward to finalizing the book and music, getting rewards to backers, and making the book and songs widely available to meet the ceremonial needs of Jewish families opting out of circumcision.

Major "Tablet" Article, Two Signed Glick Books—Lots to Report

Hello friends and backers! We are so thrilled by the excitement and support that our project is generating. Just yesterday morning Tablet Magazine published a long feature article about alternatives to Jewish circumcision—and our Kickstarter campaign was prominently mentioned. 

Off to a Strong Start—And Now Two New Rewards

We are more than 50% of the way there! The words "thank you" are not enough to express how thrilled and touched we are by the incredible generosity of our project backers who got us off to a roaring start. Backing has come from friends old and new—but we are still very far off from reaching our campaign goal.

Kickstarter campaign launches for first-ever book on “brit shalom,” an alternative to Jewish circumcision

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oakland, California — Lisa Braver Moss and Rebecca Wald, both known for their writings questioning Jewish circumcision, have launched a 45-day Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for the completion of a book to serve Jewish families who decide not to circumcise. They are hoping to raise $8,200 to complete the project with their campaign, which begins June 17th.