If necessary, ultra-Orthodox rabbis in New York say they will defy a new health order related to circumcision.
The proposed law calls for parental consent before an ancient circumcision ritual can be performed, as proponents claim it is a dangerous practice that caused the death of one infant in the past decade from a form of herpes.
Rabbi David Niederman of The United Jewish Organization of Williamsburg says circumcision is a safe practice.
"There is no danger," he asserts. "We did our medical research, plus the overwhelming evidence of tens of thousands of circumcisions a year, and there's no issue. And herpes occurs in girls. Herpes occurs also in kids who have circumcisions in and out of hospitals."
Rabbi Niederman adds that the deeper issue is the constitutional right to freedom of religion.
"This is the first time in trying to regulate such an ancient religious practice and telling a mohel (a person qualified to perform the rite of circumcision), Rabbi, if you don't get parental consent, then you are violating the law by doing what you have to do.''
If the health agency approves the law, Niederman is certain lawsuits will follow. Meanwhile, he is confident his group has a solid case.