Rabbi's Blog

As many of us learned during our recent Shabbat program with Rabbi David Teutsch, Jewish law and tradition has been surprisingly flexible on matters of contraception and reproductive rights. Judaism is pro-life in that we value each person as the image of the divine. When it comes to such reproductive rights, Jewish law always prioritizes the safety, well-being, and dignity of a woman in her own body. This is not a matter of being "pro-abortion." Abortion is and should remain an intimate and personal decision. Abortion can be a lifesaving medical necessity in some situations. Thus, today's Supreme Court ruling counters our religious freedom as well as putting the health and safety of many women at risk. 

Therefore, I stand today with the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington, and countless other Jewish organizations (as well as a majority of the American public), in affirming that the  Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson. ruling "will become notorious as an enormous step back in our nation’s progress towards realizing the justice, equity, and liberty to which all Americans are entitled.  In more immediate terms, it will imperil the health and lives of women across the United States, with the heaviest suffering borne by Black, Brown, low-income, and disabled populations." Read more here.  

We are in a time of national and cultural struggle. Even when there are major setbacks, Jewish tradition urges us toward hope and activism going forward.

(Learn more about Jewish law and values on reproductive issues here.)