When I was 8 days old, a strange old man undressed me. In front of my family and guests he said some prayers and then cut off the foreskin of my penis. To the singing and rejoicing of everyone around, he drank me with wine, my first drink. Then, he kissed the blood off my penis.
Of all the customs and commandments in Jewish tradition, circumcision is the most preserved and enduring one. It is zealously practiced among believers and secular individuals alike. What is the power of this ancient ritual? Why is it preserved so consistently, unlike other, less violent customs? And what happens when a mother feels she can't go through with performing this rite?
“Milah” is a tragic-comic tale about an ancient ceremony in a modern world; about the absurd sacrifices one makes for the sake of belonging, and the values that are exposed by a small piece of skin at the tip of a tiny baby's penis.