On Tuesday, Rabbi Jonathan Abraham, 47, was taken into custody by the Dublin police. He appeared in Dublin District Court on Thursday, facing charges of performing a circumcision on a male child without proper medical registration. The incident occurred at a residence in Suburban Dublin (D15).
Detective Garda Megan Furey informed Judge Michael Connellan that Rabbi Abraham remained silent when the charges against him were read out at Blanchardstown Garda station. The police opposed bail, citing the gravity of the case. According to the detective, this act violates the Medical Practitioners Act of 2007 (amended in 2023). If convicted, the offense carries a potential maximum penalty of €130,000 ($140,400) in fines and five years of imprisonment.
Detective Garda Furey testified that she entered the D15 property just after 1:00 PM on Tuesday with the homeowners’ permission. She described finding the accused “dressed in a white robe, a doctor-style coat, with blue gloves and a scalpel in his hand.” The room contained a centrally placed table equipped with a changing pad, scissors, and various medical supplies and instruments.
The detective reported observing an unclothed infant on the changing pad. She also determined that another baby had already undergone a circumcision procedure. The court was informed that a case file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), with the possibility of additional charges being brought forward.
Expressing concerns about a potential flight risk, the detective highlighted that Rabbi Abraham, a father of ten children, lacks connections to the local jurisdiction and possesses substantial financial resources.
WILL THERE BE A SHOW TRIAL?
During cross-examination, the detective conceded that penalties would be significantly reduced if the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) opted to file the case in District Court. She acknowledged that the severe fine and lengthy prison term was only possible if the prosecution pursued a high-profile trial.
Defense attorney Tertius Van Eeden insinuated that both the detective and prosecution were keen on elevating the case to a higher court—an allegation the detective denied.
The detective confirmed that Rabbi Abraham had not claimed to be a medical doctor, and she recognized his rabbinical status. However, she, along with the judge and the Irish media, persisted in addressing him as Mr. Abraham.
Van Eeden informed the court of Rabbi Abraham’s membership in the Initiation Society, which oversees Jewish circumcision practices. He stated that his client was a registered mohel, a fact the detective confirmed she was aware of.
Arguing for bail, Van Eeden emphasized his client’s extensive training and 13-year experience in performing circumcisions, backed by appropriate insurance.
The defense attorney then made a tactical error by pointing out that Rabbi Abraham’s actions would have been entirely legal in England—an ill-advised comparison in a Dublin court. The judge swiftly and seemingly with relish retorted that Ireland was not England. Subsequently, he denied bail and ordered Rabbi Abraham to appear at Clover Hill District Court on August 6.
SO YOU WANT TO CIRCUMCISE YOUR BOY
The Dublin Hebrew website has a section on circumcision that goes as follows:
Mazal tov!
Unfortunately, in Ireland, we have no mohalim within our community to perform circumcision on Jewish boys. When needed they fly in from the UK. Contact our office for the list from the Initiation Society in the UK and to discuss which mohels have traveled here in the past.
Please note that any mohel who is a medical doctor must register here. Please do not use any mohel who is a medical practitioner if they have not registered with the Irish Medical Authorities (British authorization is not sufficient).
Circumcision for non-Jews
We receive many requests every year from non-Jews seeking this procedure for their own sons. Many mohalim from the Initiation Society will be happy to perform the procedure; the same advice applies – please make sure whomever you use is registered with the Irish Medical Authorities. And congratulations!
WE KILLED THAT MAN
The Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) most recent comprehensive survey on antisemitism was conducted in 2014. This poll, which sampled a cross-section of the adult population, presented 11 antisemitic statements or stereotypes to gauge public sentiment. The results revealed that:
- 52% of respondents agreed with the notion that “Jews are more loyal to Israel than the country they live in”
- 28% endorsed the statement that “Jews have too much power in the business world”
- 19% concurred with the idea that “Jews have too much control over the global media”
Reports indicate that before October 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents in Ireland were predominantly framed within a religious-traditional context. The most common manifestation was the accusation that Jews were responsible for the death of Jesus.
