July 30, 2012

(JTA) — Two Jews and a Muslim in Germany have started a pro-circumcision campaign to counter a court ruling that bans the practice.

Last month, a court in in Cologne, Germany ruled against non-medical circumcision on the grounds that circumcision causes grievous bodily harm.

The petition was organized by Mike Delberg, Michael Groys and Anil Celik, and is called “together against snipping off our rights.” It already has 300 signatures, according to The Local, a German publication. The organizers plan to send it to the government when it reaches 1,000 signatures.

The petition accuses the ruling of limiting Jewish and Muslim religious rights, and says that Jews and Muslims will have to travel out of the country in order to be circumcised.

A motion has been brought in German parliament to keep circumcision legal, and Austria’s Jewish and Muslim communities are working to ensure its continued legality there.

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