A London-based rabbi, detained on charges of performing an illegal circumcision in Dublin, has successfully won the right to receive kosher food while in custody after
taking the Irish prison service to the High Court.
Rabbi Jonathan Abraham, 47, who has served as a mohel for 15 years, was arrested two weeks ago at a private residence in Dublin, where he was reportedly carrying out a circumcision. He faces accusations of performing the procedure without the necessary local certification, which could result in a maximum prison sentence of five years if convicted.
After being deemed a flight risk and held in Cloverhill Prison, Rabbi Abraham raised concerns that his human rights were being violated. He complained that he was not allowed to pray with his tefillin and was not provided with kosher food, both of which are essential to his religious practices.
In a High Court hearing, Ms. Justice Nuala Jackson ruled in favor of Rabbi Abraham, criticizing the prison authorities for their lack of understanding regarding his religious needs. She noted that the failure to provide kosher food had caused the rabbi "considerable and understandable stress."
Following the court's decision, Cloverhill Prison has taken measures to ensure Rabbi Abraham can use his tefillin and has arranged for kosher food to be provided. However, the judge did not find grounds to release the rabbi from custody.
Ms. Justice Jackson acknowledged Rabbi Abraham's dedication to his faith, which had made a strong impression on the court. In light of the circumstances and her findings, she directed the Irish State to cover 50 percent of the rabbi’s legal costs.
Ireland’s Chief Rabbi, Yoni Wieder, who testified in court, had previously made several appeals to the prison authorities regarding the provision of kosher food for Rabbi Abraham, but these were not addressed until after the High Court's ruling.
The assistance of EU states in the development of Jewish religious life, which includes the practice of circumcision for male community members on the 7th day after birth, is part of the EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life (2021-2030), adopted by the European Commission. Photo by User:Itub, Wikimedia commons.