Bet Din To Decide On Case Against Mohel

In a politically sensitive case, the city of New York withdrew its lawsuit against an Orthodox mohel suspected of transmitting herpes to three baby boys-- one of whom died. The mohel used an unusual procedure-- metzitzah b'peh-- in their circumcisions. (See prior posting.) New York's Jewish Week reports today that after nearly a year of investigation the city has turned the matter over to a chasidic rabbinical court (a Bet Din) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This appears to be the first time that New York City has turned a public health matter over to a religious court.