Mayor Ok's Circumcision, Not Regulating Metzitzah B'Peh

After a closed-door meeting at City Hall with members of the Orthodox Jewish community yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg decided not to ban a little-known practice in which a rabbi draws blood with his mouth after a circumcision to clean out impurities.
Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said yesterday his department "has no intention of banning or regulating the practice of metzitzah b'peh."
Several sources said the mayor promised that the city would never ban a religious practice outright but also held firm that he "has an obligation" to uphold laws.