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Question
My son is becoming a bar mitzvah next month and we are choosing those who will have an aliyah. I have a nephew who is Jewish by birth but whose parents did not have him circumcized. Is he allowed to have an aliyah? Similarly: we have a Jewish relative who has tattoos. Is she allowed (we are members of an egalitarian conservative congregation, so her gender would not be an issue).
Dear David,
Thanks for writing. My delay was to do some research.
While I cannot find any explicit instruction to deny an aliyah for this reason, it does not mean that - if asked - your Rabbi might hold a different position.
In the one case it is a probably private circumstance, while the tattoo may be visible. In both situations and questions, in fact, your Rabbi is the only authority who should be asked this question or both questions as the mara d'atra, the "master of the place" as each congregational Rabbi is titled.
Good luck and above all mazal tov.
Best wishes
Rabbi Dov
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Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner
Expertise
Write to me with questions about Jewish customs and law, history, philosophy and tradition for answers from a Conservative perspective or conversion. I am a graduate of The Jewish Theological Seminary and a member of the Conservative Rabbinical Assembly. Having served in congregational pulpits since 1970, I now am President of the Foundation For Family Education, Inc. a non-profit educational endeavor. I established it to create new formats of hands-on programs and provide free educational downloads at www.jewishfreeware.org. In addition to general informational questions I welcome your questions about programs for social action, outreach to dual-faith families, inter-faith clergy projects, healing services, education for conversion, adult education for the congregation and the community. If you have questions about Informal and Formal Education I am ready to share my extensive experience with Youth Activities, Camping and Religious School/Hebrew High School on a congregational, community and national/international level.
Experience
I have served on the National Youth Commission for more than 25 years and serve on the Boards of the Conservative Zionist movement MERCAZ and the World Council of Synagogues. I have always dual-families and taught candidates for conversion with a great sense of fulfillment. I am very proud of 25 years on the Jewish camping staff of Camps Ramah. My greatest source of pride is my family! Ask me about them, please!:-)
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