Why do Jews perform Milah?
The source for circumcising boys at eight days old is the commandment in the Old Testament (Gen. 17:10-14 and Lev. 12:3). It is done as a physical sign of one’s Jewish identity and is probably the most widely observed of all Jewish practices. As well as being a religious requirement, it has become perhaps the most important, recognisable and indeed celebrated element of Jewish culture.