With the advent of the iPhone and its capability of taking photos and videos, many individuals will record events at the drop of a hat. Certainly the brit milah ceremony is an important ceremony and family members may wish to record parts of it as a keepsake and remembrance. This is fine until the point comes where everyone in the room has an iPhone in front of their face and is more a recorder than an observer.
Problems can also arise when:
- There is a “designated photographer” who pops in and out of the mohel’s workspace blocking the view of other observers as the service proceeds in an obtrusive attempt to capture every moment.
- Individuals insist on looking on their iPhone for messages multiple times during the short brit milah service
- Cell phones ring and interrupt the service
- Relatives on a video relay from a distant city or country do not mute their end of the line and their background noise interferes with the ceremony
While a brit milah ceremony is a significant family event that family members may want to memorialize, care must be taken while filming (either still or video) to not be intrusive and either distract the mohel or detract from the experience of other family members and guests—never mind making a video that will embarrass the child later on!