A Pittsburgh-area mohel is being accused of accidentally severing an infant's penis during a botched circumcision.
The lawsuit against Rabbi Mordechai Rosenberg alleges that he performed a bris at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Squirrel Hill, during which a baby's private parts were cut off and had to be surgically reattached.
KDKA reports that doctors performed emergency microsurgery on the child for six hours following the April 28 incident. Six blood transfusions, leech therapy, and a two month hospital stay were required before the child was sent back home.
The surgery was declared a success, though KDKA's sources say it is too early to know if the child will make a full recovery.
Meanwhile, Rabbi Rosenberg, who claims to be certified by the American Board of Ritual Circumcision, continues to perform brises. Speaking with KDKA, he called the incident a "tragic accident," but insisted he was "trained in this."
His website denounces medical circumcision performed by a doctor as "not considered valid according to Jewish law."
