The First Ever Bris in Cambodia

Yesterday sitting by the pool I overheard the family sitting next to me arguing over who in their extended family would be called for an aliyah. I could not believe what I was hearing and turned to the boy in the next lounge chair, and saw a copy of his haftorah portion that he had just finished  practicing. I asked him about his bar mitzvah and told him how suprised I was. His mother explained that they were visiting for the weekend from Singapore, and did I know there was a synagogue in Phnom Penh just around the corner from our hotel. She said the family had been there for sabbath services that morning, which was the Chabad we had passed a few days ago, and that I should join them tomorrow evening for a party to celebrate the bris of the rabbi's 3rd son (5th child). Before she finished asking I said yes.

The women were asked to line up on the staircase separate from the men, who were already upstairs in the synagogue. They carefully passed baby Moshe from one to another, and then to the men upstairs until he was was at the front for the ceremony.

The celebratroy schnapps were already in place to fortify the participants

Sterile technique was observed..

The Mohel flew in from Hong Kong this afternoon after he perfomed a bris there this morning. He travels all over Asia doing circumcisions. The grandparents from Chicigao came in for the occasion, he also being a Lubovitch rabbi, and the supervising rabbi from Thailand honored the ceremony. 

Other relatives joined remotely from Israel, where the father's other family members live

After the circumsision the baby sucks on a wine soaked cloth.

                                   

Men observing while women watched from behind a semiopaque wall.

                                        Table set up for a multi course dinner

Expats from the U.S.  At the other table was the family from Singapore, and a man a France. A local Jewish Swiss Cambodian woman also was there who is a member of the Chabad.

Challah rolls that were unbelieveable good

Cambodian summer rolls kosher style 

Brisket, fish. chicken vegetables, potatoes and rice.

Kosher meat is flown in from Thailand. Sorry fogot to take a picture of the chicken soup

The rabbi of the Chabad. His father, also a rabbi in Chicago, told us that this was the first ever bris in Cambodia. We felt very honored to be present.

 L'chaim. A speech and a toast from the Chief Rabbi of Thailand, which has larger Jewish population, with several synagogues, because of many Israeli businessmen.

                               

     The Cambodian helpers wore Cambodia Chabad tee shirts, 

Israelis.The first and third young women were volunteering at the Chabad and their primary jobs are to teach the rabbi's children Hebrew. The children speak Yiddish and Khmer with some English. The two other young women are orthodox Israelis who have been traveling in Asia for months. The man owns a shoe factory in Phnom Penh.