OK, some terms for those of you who aren't Jewish:
1. The brit (also pronounced bris or brith) is the cirucumcision that boy babies are required to undergo on the 8th day after birth. Brit means covenant, and brit milah is the covenant of circumcision.
2. The mohel is the person who does the actual operation. They are generally rabbis, frequently doctors, always orthodox observant, and highly trained in the ceremony and performance of the brit. Even a surgeon must be especially trained for the traditional Jewish ceremony.
3. Elijah's Chair is a chair for use at a circumcision. It can be any chair, but in our congregation, we have a beautiful chair built to specification and presented to the congregation at the birth a particular family's first son.
Now for the ceremony itself. (As an aside, the mother doesn't have to be present, but the father does.) The kvatterin is the woman who is given the honor of taking the baby from the mother and presenting him to the kvatter who brings the baby to the kiseh shel eliahu, the man who receives the baby while he is sitting in Elijah's chair. Special prayers are said, and then the baby is handed over to the sondek, equivalent to godfather. He sits in Elijah's Chair and holds the baby while the actual circumcision is performed.
The baby was given a cloth soaked in sugar water to suck on while the circumcision was being done. He let out a little squeal when the first cut was made, but after that he quieted down. It used to be, and it may still be the custom in some places, to give the baby a drop of wine.
This particular mohel performed as though he was preparing for major surgery. Rubber gloves, sterile cloth over and around the baby. Antiseptic around the surgery site. A sterile scalpel (I saw him take it out of the sterile wrapping). Sterile 4x4s to mop up the little bit of blood from the cut. Then he sprinkled antiseptic powder on the wound and around the area, put a small sterile cloth around the circumcised area. Then carefully re-diapered the baby and handed him to his mother.
There were prayers said at certain points of the ceremony, and after the operation was done, the baby's name was announced: Aryeh Binyamin. Aryeh means Lion and Binyamin (English Benjamin) means Son of my Right Hand (or Strength, as the right side is considered the side of strength).
After that there were many mazel tovs, and the men davened (prayed) Mincha (the afternoon service), then we all went to the dining hall and had quite a spread. I kept looking for Mom and Babe, and was told that they were with the Mohel, and Mom was being instructed in how to care for the baby and the circumcised wound. This was their first son after three daughters, so I suppose some instruction was needed, but they didn't show up after....oh...maybe 45 minutes, and I was getting very tired. So I had a little nosh, then came home. I'll pay a visit in a few days.
I've left out a few details, but the main parts of the event are here chronicled.
Any questions?