Reviews
I recently attended a bris done by Rabbi Trager for a friend. This might have been a delicate situation since the Mom and Dad are an interfaith couple but Rabbi Trager made everyone –most importantly the parents feel comfortable and at ease. He spoke for just the right amount of time and included several people in the ceremony’s honors. The bris itself seemed to take just seconds and the baby barely cried at all.
– Alana S., Los Gatos
We had a great experience and I could never have had imagined circumcision could be so gentle and easy as with our 4 other sons they were done at hospital and my husband choose to see one out of 4 which was of my second youngest son Murtaza it was quite barbaric especially when they poke needles in babies penis and take about half n hr in the whole surgery but with my little one Muraad we choose the traditional Jewish method which takes only 20 second and that’s it and my baby hardly cried he was quite in less than a minute thank you so much Rabi Moshe Mohel for making our experience so beautiful….!!
– Sarimah & Mustafa, Campbell
Not enough words can describe the compassion, kindness and good sense of humor of Rabbi Moshe. He told me everything I needed to prepare for the Bris and everything that I would need for after. He made all of us feel comfortable, Including my little baby. My husband cried more than my son did. The cut healed perfectly and Rabbi Moshe called the next day to check up on us. He gave us his number and said we shouldn’t hesitate to call. I would recommend him to anyone who wants a beautiful ceremony in the comfort of your own home. You can trust him with your most precious gift, the health of your son.
– Yana A., Campbell
Rabbi Trager is the best. He performed the Bris for both of my boys and we couldn’t be happier. He was very responsive, easy to work with, and explained everything. My whole family (Jewish and not) thought he was exceptional.
– Steve K, San Francisco
Moshe did a fantastic job with our sons circumcision. He was recommended to me by our midwife, as I was uncomfortable with the hospital approach to circumcision that involves a baby heavily restrained to a board and a longer than seemingly necessary procedure. Moshe completed the circumcision in about 30 seconds at our home. I held my son gently right in my lap. I think it was harder for me than it was for my son. He gave us thorough care instructions and urged us to call day or night if we had any further questions or concerns. Additionally, he was prompt, kind, hygienic and communicative.
– Virginia B., San Francisco
Rabbi Moshe is amazing. He performed our son’s bris and we couldn’t be happier. Not only is he pleasant and informative but he is also very down to earth. The process itself was very quick and efficient. Rabbi Moshe took the time to explain every detail. We Would highly recommend Moshe, he is wonderful.
– Rebecca T., San Francisco
I was about 6 months pregnant when my Mom, who is an RN, let it slip that baby boys get strapped down for their circumcisions in the hospital. What? Oh yeah, strapped down to a little pad by their arms and legs for a half hour procedure. I looked into it, and read the differences between how a mohel performs a circumcision and how the hospital does it.
We didn’t know what we were having, but I knew that I had made promises to the little one in my belly that I wouldn’t let anything horrible happen to him or her, and my husband insisted that our son would have to be circumcised (I agreed). To me the thought of a little boy being strapped down and freaking out for 30 minutes was definitely something horrible. So at 39 weeks pregnant I began my mohel search and found Rabbie Trager, and I am still thanking God for him. Moshe is such a gentle soul, very professional and supportive and sympathetic to the needs and worries of a new parent. He is wonderful at his craft as well – the procedure was only about 30 seconds, my son cried for about a minute, and the healing process was complete within a week. The bris in my home was really beautiful and I appreciated Moshe’s knowledge and guidance throughout the entire thing, with explanations well suited to myself, my husband, and my family members. I felt that my son was in the best hands possible, and I was grateful to see my brother hold my son as Moshe worked. It was done respectfully and lovingly as anyone could hope for their child. To put it briefly and clearly, I started off being very worried and anxious about what I would do about “the circumcision problem”, and now that we have found Moshe I would not hesitate to ask for his presence again. You will be glad to have chosen Rabbi Trager for your son, too.
– Ariana B., Oakland
Rabbi Trager performed our son’s bris at a home in San Francisco. We are a same sex couple living in SF; our son’s biological mother was raised Jewish and felt it was important for our son to be tied to the Jewish community. Our little boy was born at 36 weeks, 4lbs 11oz, and we waited a few extra days to get clearance from our pediatrician to have the bris ceremony. The ceremony was wonderful. Rabbi Trager made all of the attendees comfortable through conversation and laughter, then delivered a ceremony that was inclusive while emphasizing the importance of the ritual. Our family and friends were honored to participate. Our son cried right until the circumcision was performed (the undressing was the worst part) – but when Rabbi Trager picked him up, he was a happy little boy (everyone clapped!). The circumcision itself was very quick, and everyone stayed in the room (I promise, our son cries more at 3am, heh). Our guests (a mix of that was about 50% Jewish) expressed to us how impressed they were by Rabbi’s words and that they found the ceremony comfortable and special. Even those with reservations were glad they decided to attend. Rabbi Trager left us with clear in instructions for care, and emphasized that he will be available for us in case we have any questions in the coming weeks. If we have another son, we will be calling Rabbi Trager, again. Thank you!
– Jora & Kabri, Seattle, WA
Moshe was amazing. He was personable, flexible, and had an incredibly great energy to him. I’m not a particularly religious jew, but this was about as perfect as ritual gets. Well, for everyone but my son, I suppose. He may not have liked it very much.
– Joe L., Truckee
I cannot thank Rabbi Trager enough for a beautiful bris. I was very reluctant to circumcise my son at home and I for sure thought I wanted to do this at the hospitall. Then I spoke to the rabbi. He assured me that it is a quick procedure and a lot less painful than what they would do at the hospital. He was 100% right. My son only cried for 10 seconds (I cried for 30 seconds) and it healed/looks beautiful. Even my pediatrician said, “Wow…these mohels really do it better than the OBGYNs.” The ceremony was beautiful and very meaningful as Rabbi Trager is very personable and down to earth. Thank you so much!
– Melissa S., San Francisco
Rabbi Trager performed the bris for my son this past week, and for several reasons I believe the bris could not have been performed in a more meaningful manner. Despite the fact that I am a urologist, being a new mother raised some maternal fears for me, and I worried about the performance of the bris. (pain, fear that something could go wrong, seeing my child struggle, etc) After seeing Rabbi Trager, I would like to reassure other parents that if circumcision is desired, that it could NOT have been done better, faster, with less struggle from our son. From initial phone contact with Rabbi Trager, he was thorough and straight forward. He arrived at our home, and met the family and wonderfully incorporated my family into the ceremony. He explained the event at hand, which was particularly appreciated by my husband who is not Jewish and had never been to a bris before. The circumcision itself was smooth and flawless in technique, which impressed me by the lack of crying from my son during/ after it was done.
Not only was my husband relieved that we did the bris, but he was relieved that he did not have a circumcision in the hospital, which we, as doctors, know takes longer than the circumcision that Rabbi Trager performed, and often involves strapping the infant to a board.
Rabbi Trager is highly experienced, very capable, and has a warm personality with a welcoming demeanor. I give him my highest endorsement.
– Dr. Nadya C., San Francisco
As the father, I was so anxious for my little guy. Rabbi Trager had firm, steady hands, and he exuded confidence. He put his hands on my shoulders a few times which reassured me. I’ve spoken to some friends of mine who had their little boys circumcised at the hospital – how their little arms were strapped down, and that it took 20-30 minutes to do the procedure. Rabbi Trager – I was amazed. The bris was done in our home, with my father-in-law holding our little baby in his arms, on a pillowcase passed down from my wife’s grandmother. And I kid you not – the whole procedure was done in…maybe 20 seconds – might have been 15. My boy cried for a few seconds, but as soon as the procedure was done, and Rabbi Trager passed him into my wife’s arms, he stopped crying…and then he slept for the next 3 hours. Additionally, we are an interfaith couple – Rabbi Trager was warm and loving, explained the Bris Milah to everyone in the room, injected humor (much needed for the anxious dad here)…it was everything I could wish for. HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
– Dr. Wen C., San Francisco
No hesitation for putting 5 stars. It was a total of 90 seconds from when the diaper opened to when it closed after the circumcision. My son cried for that 90 seconds but stopped as soon as his diaper went back on. Rabbi Trager has done more than 4K of these. I had considerable anxiety before the bris given that I received emails from two individuals saying that they were going to do anything possible to stop the bris from happening. So, I really can relate to anyone, especially you Dads who are struggling with this choice. If you are going to go with anyone, Rabbi Trager is a master and will instill instant confidence with his strong and certain presence.
– Dr. Matt G., Berkeley
Wish we had known about Moshe when we had our first son. He was and is gracious and amenable to how indepth you want of a ceremony. He was the talk of town and can’t recommend him enough to anyone. Our son faired very well with the procedure and we had NO issues and the after care was simple compared to how we needed to deal with our first son’s which was performed by someone more medically oriented.
– Alec T., Pleasant Hill
Rabbi Trager has excellent surgical skills, a charming personality, and is an excellent teacher. Our experience could not have been better.
– Adam B., San Francisco
Rabbi Moshe Trager’s calm, competence, good humor, and inclusive philosophy made all the difference in helping our friends and family (Jewish and non-Jewish) understand the meaning of the bris. The ceremony was beautiful, our son did great, and we couldn’t be happier!
– Evan G., San Jose
Lisha and I would like to thank you for performing Avi’s circumcision. The family and all our friends really appreciated it, and your leadership of the event was terrific.
– Andres, father of Avi, Palo Alto
Rabbi Trager made our very special (and stressful) day a true simcha for our family and our friends. Besides being a very skilled Mohel, he is very personable, made everyone feel welcome, shared with all of us his deep passion for tradition and performed, together with a dear friend and Rabbi, a beautiful and moving ceremony. We are grateful that Rabbi Trager played such an important role in our son’s bris.
– Russell, father of Ethan, San Francisco
Rabbi Moshe Trager’s calm, competence, good humor, and inclusive philosophy made all the difference in helping our friends and family (Jewish and non-Jewish) understand the meaning of the bris. The ceremony was beautiful, our son did great, and we couldn’t be happier.
– Evan & Sarah, Palo Alto
I was conflicted about doing the bris in the first place because we are an interfaith family, but my husband really felt strongly about it. When I spoke to my friend, who is a pediatric urologist, she said that if I wanted the procedure to be fast and as painless as possible, I should use Rabbi Trager. The bris was done in a matter of seconds and my son was back in my arms nursing in a minute or two.
– Ellen, mom to Eli, Los Gatos
I attended my grandson’s bris this past Friday and was in awe of Rabbi Trager’s skill, personality and warmth. He obviously has a calling; he makes everyone involved feel at ease andconnected to the ceremony. He genuinely approached this mitzvah in a poised, professional and personable manner. Believe me, I have witnessed several other brit milahs throughout the years and it’s rare to encounter a mohel who embodies all of these traits. High recommend!
– Marsh M., Truckee
Moshe did a terrific job on the bris for our baby boy. Our guests commented how well he conducted the bris ceremony and helped make it a momentous event for our family. Most importantly, he did a perfect job with the circumcision as confirmed by our pediatrician. Moshe offered to stop by to check on how the baby was healing but there was no need. I highly recommend him.
– Dan N., San Francisco
Rabbi Trager was fantastic. He made my son’s Bris very special. My husband and I are immigrants from the former soviet union. Being able to do this for our son was very important to us. Rabbi Trager made this experience even more memorable for us. He was a big hit with the whole family. Very personable, funny, and most importantly excellent at his job :). He was so attentive and made a follow up phone call the next day to check up on our son. He also makes himself available 24/7 which is a rarety when it comes to healthcare. My family and I highly recommend him! If I could give more stars I would 🙂
– Vika K., San Francisco
Rabbi Trager was indeed excellent. He did a perfect job and made what was an intense and overwhelming experience very comfortable. The procedure itself was over in moments and my son healed fast. Highly recommended.
– Brett O., San Francisco
Rabbi Trager did an excellent job. He was professional and compassionate. He performed quickly and efficiently. The ritual is meaningful to him and to those in attendance. Yaser koach!
– Stan H., AZ
Rabbi Trager was fantastic with the bris and naming for our twins. He was warm, entertaining and very knowledgeable. Basically we echo what Joy P said. He even came back to check on the circumcision even though he does not live nearby. We highly recommend him!
– Rebecca S. Oakland
I HIGHLY recommend Rabbi Trager. He did my second son’s bris three months ago now and it was great. The ceremony was nice and he did a great job. My son barely noticed and it has never bothered him since then. You simply can’t do better for a circumcision in the bay area.
– Elena B., Mountain View
Rabbi Trager performed our son’s bris two weeks ago. We are a interfaith family, so it was important to have a service that everyone could understand. Rabbi Trager certainly delivered. ?I was extremely nervous about the procedure, but Rabbi Trager put all my concerns to rest with his professionalism and sense of humor. I’m so glad we went with a traditional bris over a hospital circ. The service was brief, informative, warm, and inclusive. Rabbi Trager was also quite thorough and has followed up with us multiple times to make sure everything is healing well, which it is.
– Health H., Santa Rosa
Rabbi Moshe Trager performed the brit milah and simchat bat for our boy/girl twins recently, and he did a fantastic job. He was very relaxed and funny. My mother had asked him to explain what the purpose of the ritual was to our guests, and he gave an absolutely beautiful explanation. He was warm, and handled both babies very sweetly. I absolutely recommend him. Also, our pediatrician has checked the circumcision a couple of times, and thought everything looked great. Again, I recommend him very highly.
– Joy P., Livermore
Rabbi Trager was recommended by our own Rabbi, which was comforting when considering the all-important decision of whom to choose for the sacred brit milah (bris) for our son. I appreciated the pre-ceremony phone call I had with Rabbi Trager, where he calmly and enthusiastically answered all of our questions. He assured us that we would enjoy ourselves, and that the ceremony would be meaningful for all of our family and friends. And he was right. During the day of the ceremony, Rabbi Trager arrived early, artfully mixed with family and friends, and then immediately went to work (very professional) by examining our son and putting my wife and I to ease with easy-to-understand guidance and step-by-step of the upcoming ceremony. In short, the ceremony went perfect, and everyone really enjoyed Rabbi Trager, as much for his professionalism during the bris as for his humor (he got well-deserved laughter). It was great. To top that, Rabbi Trager not only called us the day after, but paid us a home visit a week later to ensure that everything was fine. My wife and I couldn’t be happier, and our pediatrician has remarked that the circumcision was done “perfectly”. Enough said.
– Andres D., Palo Alto
Rabbi Trager, performed my son’s bris a few weeks ago and it went really well. I was a bit nervous, but the Rabbi was really personable and funny, and made myself and my husband and our guests feel comfortable. He also was very accommodating while we scheduled the bris as we had family coming in at different times and delays,etc, my husband had several calls with him about this and it made our lives easier. ??Our son only cried for a moment and the procedure lasted less than a minute. Afterward, the Rabbi showed my husband and I how to care for the circumcision and provided all the materials to care for him. Our son healed up perfectly in 4 days. The Rabbi called that evening and the following day to see how our son was doing, which we really appreciated. Lastly, Rabbi Trager gave us a nice gift to a photographer in Mill Valley, which we will definitely use. We highly recommend Rabbi Trager, and will request his services again if we have another son in the future.
– Guinevere Z., Forestville
Rabbi Trager performed the bris for my son. I am Jewish, but my wife is not. The Rabbi did a great job teaching everyone the meaning of the bris, get everyone involved in the ceremony, and did an excellent procedure that my son was back to his happy self within a few hours. He is one of the best at what he does. You will be happy.
– Gordon P., San Jose
Great experience! This is one job that needs to be done right the first time. I wasn’t comfortable with my son’s circumcision being performed by whatever random hospital resident happened to be around at the time, so our doula recommended Moshe. What a great experience! He is incredibly professional, personable, and efficient. It is expensive and WORTH IT. Of all the things a boy does not want to get botched up, this one is right on top. As others have said, the thirty second procedure is over in a blink. So nice to have this done at home too! Post care was great, he really is there to answer questions or concerns anytime! And as others have also said, your religion or lack thereof makes no difference, Moshe is happy to help all.
– Phil R., San Francisco
I couldn’t have higher praises for Rabbi Trager. He circumcised two of our three kids (because the first was a girl), most recently just 6 months ago. In terms of the whole experience it was as good as it gets; this coming from a nervous and picky Mom. He answered all our questions ahead of time, and explained it all so there were no surprises. The day of he walked us through what to expect and how to care afterward. Gave an amazing ceremony, was very touching and meaningful, funny and personable too. But most importantly he did a perfect “job” on the boys. Both in terms of minimal to no crying, being done in literally seconds, quick and easy healing, and a perfect appearance in the end. Even our pediatrician commented, ha! I would have Rabbi Trager circumcise my son even if I wasn’t Jewish as there’s no comparison to what they do in hospitals. Trust me – read up on the methods – this is the most painless and fast there is and you will not find another person be they doctor or rabbi who’s done over 5,000! I’d recommend him to anyone I know!
– Jen S., Alamo
Rabbi Moshe Trager did an incredible job and was very attentive to us as a family. We read his reviews and got a personal recommendation for him through the rabbi at Beth David temple in Saratoga. He made sure to set my mind at ease, being the typical Jewish mother that I am, and given that this is my first child. He is extremely personable and I would recommend him to anyone who wants a religious professional to perform the bris. Rabbi Trager called the evening after the bris and also called to check up on us and our son the following day. This was a very emotional experience for me, but it was well worth it. I would most certainly use him if G-d gives us any more male children. Thank you Rabbi Trager!
– Brianna M., Campbell
Rabbi Trager was wonderful from the moment we contacted him! He was warm, accommodating, thoughtful and showed a gentle sense of humor, which went a long way to making us comfortable with him. We knew right away that we could trust him with our baby boy.
In the days leading up to the bris I contacted Rabbi Trager a second time and he recalled the details of our initial conversations. He was very thorough in explaining what we would need to arrange and provide for the big day, and in the moments leading up to the bris he was calm and considerate given how nervous my wife and I were!
The ceremony itself was handled with great balance – excellent explanation of what we were doing, why, and how it would happen, with a touch of humor to keep us from getting too stressed out. He did the bris quickly, confidently, and our boy fussed for only a moment before settling down. After the ceremony Rabbi Trager took the time to answer all our questions, show how to care for our boy, and offered to come over and check him out should we so desire. He also answered a late night call due to our (overprotective) nature and concerns. Our little boy has recovered beautifully and we owe it to Rabbi Trager. I can’t recommend him enough, and should we have more boys Rabbi Trager is the mohel we will be calling.
– Avi M., Santa Clara
Who knew you could yelp a mohel? Rabbi Moshe did the brit milah for our second son and it was BEAUTIFUL. The ceremony, done in our home, was heart warming and the procedure itself was done cleanly and healed beautifully. Both Jews and gentiles were present and everyone felt welcomed. Rabbi Moshe is very good at placing folks at ease (trust me – the second bris is much easier than the first!) and he even elicited a few chuckles. He takes his calling seriously and will answer any and every question – even after the procedure. If I could give him 18 stars, I would
– EP., Oakland
Rabbi Trager performed the bris for my son this past week, and for several reasons I believe the bris could not have been performed in a more meaningful manner. Despite the fact that I am a urologist, being a new mother raised some maternal fears for me, and I worried about the performance of the bris. (pain, fear that something could go wrong, seeing my child struggle, etc) After seeing Rabbi Trager, I would like to reassure other parents that if circumcision is desired, that it could NOT have been done better, faster, with less struggle from our son.
From initial phone contact with Rabbi Trager, he was thorough and straight forward. He arrived at our home, and met the family and wonderfully incorporated my family into the ceremony. He explained the event at hand, which was particularly appreciated by my husband who is not Jewish and had never been to a bris before. The circumcision itself was smooth and flawless in technique, which impressed me by the lack of crying from my son during/ after it was done. Not only was my husband relieved that we did the bris, but he was relieved that he did not have a circumcision in the hospital, which we, as doctors, know takes longer than the circumcision that Rabbi Trager performed, and often involves strapping the infant to a board. Rabbi Trager is highly experienced, very capable, and has a warm personality with a welcoming demeanor. I give him my highest endorsement.
– Nadya C., San Francisco
To say that my husband and I highly recommend Rabbi Trager is an understatement. He is incredibly sensitive and understanding and we are grateful that he presided over our son’s bris. During the pre-bris consultation, Rabbi Trager spent a significant amount of time answering my many questions and assuaging any fears I had about the ceremony and the procedure. Rabbi Trager works with many inter-religious couples and thoughtfully answered my questions about raising a Jewish child while not being Jewish myself. During the bris, Rabbi Trager included both Jewish and non-Jewish members of our family, creating an intimate and loving ceremony. The procedure itself was quick and efficient, lasting a matter of seconds. My son let out a few whimpers immediately after the procedure, but that was it. Rabbi Trager provided us with detailed after-care instructions and my son healed quickly. Even our pediatrician complimented us on Rabbi Trager’s work. As a bonus, we were able to get reimbursed for Rabbi Trager’s services through our HSA. Thank you so much, Rabbi Trager!
– MJM, Sacramento
Rabbi Trager is a spectacular mohel. He was extremely responsive by phone from the outset (he almost always picks up his cell) and it was very easy to schedule our son’s bris. He has a very calming demeanor and exudes confidence – traits second only in importance to his incredible skill. The entire circumcision probably only lasted 20-30 seconds. At the end of the bris he showed us exactly how to properly care for our son over the next few days, and he even called the next day to see how things were going (no problems of course).
– Hillel A., Berkeley
When my husband and I found out we were expecting a baby boy, one the first things we knew we needed to take care of was finding a Mohel. We knew it might be tricky as we live on the central coast of California (Pismo Beach) and there is a relatively small Jewish community here. We also knew that we would need to find a Mohel who would perform a Bris for our interfaith family. Our google search lead us to Rabbi Moshe Trager and we could not have been any happier with our decision. Moshe returned all of our phone calls, answered all of our questions, and traveled the four hours from the bay area to our home in Pismo on a busy holiday weekend.
Even more importantly, he made our sons Bris a very special and spiritual event and included all members of our family, Jews and non Jews alike. He took his time to explain the importance of the occasion to those of us who had not attended a Bris before. The circumcision was quick and our son barely made a peep. Moshe was very thorough in explaining post care and everything healed perfectly! What could have been an anxiety filled afternoon was a beautiful, peaceful event, and we have Rabbi Trager to thank.
– EMS, Shell Beach
Rabbi Moshe Trager did an excellent job at my son’s bris this past weekend. My fiance is Jewish however I am not. He not only took the time to explain the meaning of the ceremony but also made myself and my family who attended feel comfortable. He then went to work and in the matter of a minute it was done. I’m happy to report no penises were harmed during the performance of this bris lol. Definitely recommended.
– Mike G., Livermore
Moshe performed my son’s Brit Milah on September 11, 2013. He lead an amazing ceremony alongside, Rabbi Micah Hyman (Temple Beth Shalom). He was very knowledgable about post-snip care and was extremely pleasant to deal with. Plus, he did a very nice, clean snip job, which I guess is really the most important part.
– M.Frank E, San Francisco
Rabbi Trager did a great job at my son’s Bris. He talked to us before hand and put us at ease, performed the actual Bris quickly, and then followed up via email the next day to make sure everything was OK!
– David R.
Can we give 6 stars? Fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. On time. Comes prepared. Explains everything. Put me and my wife at ease. Made the entire family feel included. Followed up. But beyond his professional business manors, he was just a genuine down to earth nice guy. We interviewed many mohels and I wouldn’t recommend anyone else.
– David K., San Francisco
Rabbi Trager did a great job at my son’s Bris. He talked to us before hand and put us at ease, performed the actual Bris quickly, and then followed up the next day to make sure everything was OK!
– David, Los Altos Hills
Moshe, Thank you so much for being apart of our very special day. You were a big reason as to why the event was such a success. All the best.
– Ann, Alameda
Rabbi Trager is great! He is personable, knowledgeable and efficient -all qualities that made our bris go smoothly.
– Ben, Forestville
I went to a bris last fall for which Rabbi Trager was the mohel, and was immediately impressed with his presence and personality during the ceremony. When I found out I was pregnant with a boy, I knew I would call Rabbi Trager for my son’s bris. On the day of the bris, Rabbi Trager arrived early to go over the details of the ceremony, and helped us give out honors to include our family members in the event. He conducted a meaningful ceremony sprinkled with humor, and the circumcision itself was incredibly fast. Everything healed very well and he called the next day to check in on us, and told us to call him at any time if we had any concerns. Many of our guests commented on how much they enjoyed the ceremony as well. It was a pleasure working with Rabbi Trager– he is warm, friendly, knowledgeable and professional and I highly recommend him.
– Aviva F., San Jose
I went to a bris today at which Moshe officiated. I loved how he infused lots of humor and profound meaning all at the same time at such an important mitzvah. He was calm and made everyone feel comfortable and at ease.
– Rebecca G., Los Gatos
Rabbi Trager did a beautiful bris and naming for our new grand son. He spent considerable time explaining every step of the process to our kids and guests. He was friendly and engaging. He spent time speaking with everyone and did not appear to be rushed at all. Rabbi Trager taught the kids how to take care of the circumcision and told them to call him 24/7 with any and all questions. We highly recommend him. It really couldn’t have been better!
– Ilene M., Petaluma
Rabbi Trager is true to his word. We chose him to circumcise our son because of his experience and confidence, and his sense of humor helped to lighten the mood for an anxiety provoking event. He conducted the ceremony with love and attention to detail, and the actual procedure was quick and clean. He brought us the necessary items needed to care for the site and showed us how to change the diaper while the baby heals. We very much appreciated Moshe calling us a couple days later to check in on our baby boy. We are very pleased with the outcome, and his sweet wife, Ellen, even took photos and sent them to us two days later!
– Eliza B., Moraga
I live in the Sacramento area, so it was a schlep for Rabbi Trager to perform our bris, but he didn’t mind at all and was AMAZING! He was just so lovely and made everyone, including a sleep-deprived mama and non-Jewish guests feel completely comfortable. Also, my husband was deployed to Iraq at the time with the Army, and Rabbi Trager had researched halacha in such a situation and came up with numerous alternatives in case my husband’s leave could not coincide with the bris (we got seriously lucky there-they let him leave a few days earlier than scheduled). It was a wonderful experience all around. I never waste a breath when recommending him.
– Jana S., Sacramento
Rabbi Trager performed the Bris for our son Sawyer. He was excellent–effecient, traditional, understanding, explanatory, and most of all, he put all of us at ease! What a wonderful experience for our family! I highly recommend Rabbi Trager to anyone looking for a Mohel to perform a Bris and naming for their son!
– David T., San Jose
I was under pressure to find someone quickly for my grandson’s Brit Millah. Rabbi Trager answered the phone, which was a wonderful surprise and from there on in, he was warm, reassuring and open to my needs. He was very easy to work with and approach. He was exactly what the occasion called for. I couldn’t have envisioned anybody better suited for it. The birth mother’s family is from a different culture and the way Rabbi Trager conducted the bris really spoke to them and he helped them to understand the significance of the occasion while making everyone feel as though they had a place in the ceremony. He was so experienced and charming that I would recommend him to anyone.
– Diana W., Berkeley
My wife and I learned of Rabbi Trager through a friend who had their son a couple of days before ours was born. We were a little nervous about the Brit Millah. It was quite an emotional moment in our lives. In addition to the excitement that comes with the brit, we also had two other factors to manage. The bris was a few days before my mothers second yartzheit, and my wife is not Jewish. We needed a mohel who would be sensitive to our situation. Fortunately, we found Rabbi Trager.
– Zachary B., San Francisco
Rabbi Trager was fabulous!!!! We had such a nice ceremony. It was beautiful, meaningful, and quick!!!! When his website says he will be done in under a minute, he truly means it. Our friend, who is not Jewish, was there and still remembers his own son’s circumcision over 20 years ago. He said this was so much more humane. The child is held by a loved one, not tied down to a board, and it is much quicker. It was truly a beautiful ceremony. We set it up the day my son was born and Rabbi Trager was great in preparing us. He told us exactly what we would need, and then he brought the rest. He showed up exactly on time, and started on time. Before he left, we went over after-care and he left written instructions as well. He also called the next day to be sure all went well.
>We have since seen our pediatrician, and even he said what a nice job Rabbi Trager did. He said it looked great, and our pediatrician does a lot of circumcisions himself. And the pediatrician was in disbelief that the whole procedure was complete in under a minute. I can’t say enough good things about our experience. I definitely highly recommend him for a wonderful experience!!
– Marissa S., St Helena
Rabbi Mohel Trager – was the best. I started out a little skeptical because my last son had been bris’ed by Chanon Feld the highest of the high. But we had just moved back to town and needed a mohel. Mohel Trager was recommend by friends who we trusted, so we went with it. And gevalt, he was great. Friendly, warm, made people feel at ease (especially the nervous mom). And fast. Supernaturally fast. Snap your fingers three times fast. Thats how quick it was. My baby didn’t cry. Awesome. He checked in with us several times, gave clear instructions. I recommend Mohel with absolute joy and confidence.
– Avram D., Emeryville
Rabbi Trager warmly exuded the confidence he’s earned by doing an excellent job. He explained the significance in a beautiful way, and helped the my father be Sandek, which made us all very happy. My son healed up quickly and thoroughly.
– David F., Oakland
When I had my son I was very concerned about his circumcision, both medically and religiously. I am Jewish and my husband is not , we agrees to do a circumcision , but he had mixed emotions about having a Bris. After meeting Rabbi Trager, we were in total agreement that this was a great choice for our family. Rabbi Trager made a meaningful and peaceful service filled with laughter and joy that our entire family could connect with. I highly recommend Rabbi Trager to anyone seeking a Mohel that will bring a fresh approach without losing the importance of tradition for such an important occasion.
– Stefanie T., Havertown, PA
Rabbi Trager performed my son’s bris milah in Philadelphia several years ago. It was an amazing experience and the rabbi is truly gifted with both his words and his hands. I don’t even remember if my son cried, I just remember a skillful and poised mohel who delivered the most meaningful and heartfelt words to our family and friends. Rabbi Trager then did my daughters baby naming two years later which was equally meaningful and superb. I would recommend him a million times over again if you want a true mensch, a real professional, who knows how to perform this important ritual in a safe and painless manner!
– Robin G., Boca Raton, FL