City Comptroller John Liu has become one of the most ardent defenders in the Democratic primary of Metzitzah B’peh. “It should be left to the rabbis,” Mr. Liu told Adam Dickter in an interview with The Jewish Week.

Mr. Liu blasted mayor Bloomberg for deciding on the regulation before consulting with the general public. “The Board of Health is not the arbiter of everything right or wrong on an issue like this. They should have done far greater outreach … I said from the get-go this is something I would defer to rabbis about,” he said.

Liu acknowledged that “clearly there is a diversity of opinion here [on the MbP issue]. Some Jews characterize [MbP] as, in their words, ‘barbaric.’ For the Orthodox it’s a very important issue. It has more to do with what extent does government interfere with a practice that has been around for thousands of years.”

Asked who advises him on Jewish issues, Liu mentioned current state Senator Simcha Felder of Brooklyn, whom Liu appointed deputy comptroller in 2009. Adding, “I have my share of rabbis, but I don’t necessarily want to give them up before the election.”

In a recent conversation with YWN, Mr. Felder said he’s not yet supporting any mayoral candidate.

(Jacob Kornbluh – YWN)