Most parents don’t grow up planning a bris. Even families who were raised with strong Jewish traditions often find themselves googling terms like sandek and kvater for the first time once a due date gets close. If you’re in Boynton Beach and starting that process now, this guide walks through the practical questions parents actually ask, not just the ceremony itself.
Dr. Andrew Krinsky, a Yale-trained, board-certified gynecologic surgeon and religiously ordained certified mohel, has guided Boynton Beach families through this process for over 20 years.
How Soon After Birth Should You Book a Mohel?
Book as soon as you have a due date, not after the baby is born. The bris happens on the baby’s 8th day of life, which gives families a narrow and fixed window to coordinate a mohel, a location, and often out-of-town relatives. Waiting until after delivery to start calling can mean settling for whoever happens to be free rather than the provider you actually wanted.
A few scheduling realities worth knowing:
- The 8th day is counted from the day of birth, so a Tuesday birth means a bris the following Tuesday
- If the 8th day falls on Shabbat or a holiday, the ceremony still happens on that day, not before or after
- Home ceremonies in Boynton Beach can be scheduled any day of the week to accommodate this
Who Actually Performs the Circumcision?
This is the question parents get wrong most often. A mohel is not automatically a medical professional, and a doctor is not automatically trained in the religious ceremony. The two roles developed separately, and most mohels are clergy trained specifically in the ritual and the surgical technique for that ritual alone.
Dr. Krinsky is unusual in that he holds both credentials at once. Before becoming a certified mohel, he spent years as a practicing OB-GYN surgeon, which means the technique behind the circumcision itself comes from decades in an operating room, not solely from mohel training.
When you’re vetting a mohel in Boynton Beach, it’s reasonable to ask directly:
- What is your medical background, if any?
- How many circumcisions have you performed?
- What anesthetic or comfort measures do you use?
- Are your instruments sterilized or disposable?
What Boynton Beach Families Should Know About Interfaith Ceremonies
A significant number of Boynton Beach families planning a bris are interfaith, secular, or reconnecting with tradition after years away from religious practice, and none of that should feel like a barrier. Dr. Krinsky is known locally for making the ceremony feel accessible rather than intimidating, especially for guests who have never attended one before.
In practice, this often looks like:
- A brief, plain-language explanation of each ritual moment as it happens
- Flexibility on how much of the ceremony is read in Hebrew versus English
- Space for non-Jewish family members to take part in honors like the kvater
The Ceremony Itself, Step by Step
A bris, or Brit Milah, is a single ceremony that combines circumcision with a formal naming, and it typically runs about 15 to 20 minutes plus time for the meal afterward.
- The baby is carried into the room, an honor called the kvater
- The circumcision is performed while the Sandek, usually a grandparent or someone of honor, holds the baby
- The baby formally receives his Hebrew name
- Guests share a celebratory meal, called a seudat mitzvah
Families can personalize the ceremony with readings, and Dr. Krinsky provides a naming certificate afterward. If your family already works with a rabbi or cantor, he coordinates with them directly. If not, he leads the full ceremony himself.
What Comfort Measures Look Like in Practice
Parents in Boynton Beach frequently ask what’s actually done to keep the baby comfortable, beyond just “anesthetic.” Dr. Krinsky’s approach layers several measures together rather than relying on one:
- Infant Tylenol given about an hour before, pending pediatrician approval
- A topical numbing gel applied on arrival and given time to take effect
- A sugar and wine solution that has a calming, endorphin-releasing effect
- A seated position for the baby with his arms free, so parents can hold his hands
- A second application of anesthetic gel after the procedure is complete
Choosing a Hebrew Name
If you haven’t picked a Hebrew name yet, you’re not behind, most families finalize this in the final week before the bris. Many parents choose a name that honors a relative who has passed, using either a Hebrew or Yiddish name. Dr. Krinsky can help you think through options if you want guidance on tradition or meaning.
Ready to Schedule Your Palm Beach Bris
Dr. Krinsky serves families throughout Palm Beach and the surrounding areas, coming directly to your home or preferred location for the ceremony. To ask questions or check availability for your son’s 8th day, call (954) 980-6337 or email akrinsky1201@gmail.com.
Get in Touch to Schedule
Dr. Krinsky serves Boynton Beach and the surrounding Palm Beach County area, traveling to your home or preferred location for the ceremony. If you have a due date or a specific 8th day coming up, call (954) 980-6337 or email akrinsky1201@gmail.com to check availability. You can also read more about his work as a modern mohel or his broader at-home circumcision care across South Florida.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can we still have a bris if the 8th day falls on a weekend?
Yes. The bris takes place on the 8th day regardless of the day of the week, including Shabbat, and Dr. Krinsky schedules around this.
Do we need our own rabbi to have a bris?
No. Dr. Krinsky is trained to lead the entire Bris and Baby Naming Ceremony on his own, though he’s also glad to work with your family’s rabbi or cantor if you have one.
Is the circumcision painful for the baby?
Dr. Krinsky uses a combination of topical anesthetic, infant Tylenol, and a calming sugar solution specifically to minimize discomfort during the procedure.
What if some of our guests have never been to a bris before?
This is common. Dr. Krinsky walks guests through each part of the ceremony as it happens, so first-time attendees can follow along and understand what’s taking place.
How far in advance should we book?
As early as possible, ideally as soon as you have a due date, since the 8th day timing gives families a fixed and sometimes tight window to coordinate.
