S01E03 - Embodying Tradition and Ascribing Meaning: Israeli Jewish Atheists Choosing to Circumcise Their Sons

This article examines why Israeli Jewish atheists still circumcise their sons. Drawing on interviews with 30 self-identified atheists, the study finds that the decision is rarely about religious belief. Instead, parents frame circumcision as a cultural, social, and bodily marker of Jewish belonging. Many participants express emotional ambivalence—sometimes even regret—but still proceed because of social expectations, family pressure, medical rationalizations, or a desire to connect their children to Jewish identity and history. The findings suggest that religious traditions can persist even without faith, functioning as embodied cultural practices that signal membership, continuity, and shared peoplehood rather than theological commitment.(Citation: Friedman, T. (2025). Embodying Tradition and Ascribing Meaning: Israeli Jewish Atheists Choosing to Circumcise Their Sons. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 64(4), 442–454. https://doi.org/10.1111/jssr.12964)