The typical pro-choice and anti-abortion positions in debate in American society today do not line up well with halakhic views on abortion. Halakhah never frames the issues in terms of individual choice, nor does halakhah talk in absolutes around the theology of when life begins. Rather, the issues are framed in terms of the value […]
The Politics of Abortion Read More »
The discussion of abortion in halakhah begins with the life of the mother. Pikuaḥ nefesh, the obligation to preserve life—in this case, the life of the mother—trumps every other obligation except for three: murder, sexual immorality, and idol worship. Until the head of the fetus or the majority of its body has exited the birth
What Does Halakhah Say About Abortion? Read More »
Over the past hundred years, as medical knowledge has advanced, it became clear that infertility was a problem among a small percentage of the halakhically observant population. Jewish families were being denied offspring solely because of their observance of the Torah commandments of taharat hamishpaḥah (family purity laws). This problem has been discussed sporadically in
Halakhic Infertility, Halakhic Solutions Read More »
A staggering one in eight couples will experience challenges in achieving and maintaining pregnancy. Some studies report that the number is closer to one in six. At these rates, it is highly likely that you or someone you know has struggled with this problem—whether you know it or not. And, sadly, there’s a good chance
The Silent Struggle of Infertility Read More »
When people learn that I have conducted research on reproduction among ḥaredi (ultra-Orthodox) women in Jerusalem, their first questions usually are: “Do they use birth control?” “Do they get abortions?” and “Will they use fertility treatments?” These questions are understandable. People generally know that ḥaredi women have a high birthrate, even by Israeli standards, and
How Haredi Women Embody Reproductive Authority Read More »
Publishing this issue of the JOFA Journal, which focuses on women’s health and reproductive issues, might seem out of touch amid a global pandemic, heightened racial tension, an increasingly polarized society, and rising antisemitism. And still, supporting women’s health and reproductive rights and exploring these fundamental human values through the lens of personal, halakhic, educational,
Message from the Executive Director Read More »
In March 2016, I decided to “go public” with my fertility journey. This decision was born mostly out of a lurking feeling of dishonesty. Ohev Sholom, the National Synagogue, in Washington, D.C., where I have served since 2013, had been invited to participate in Yesh Tikva’s Infertility Awareness Shabbat, which is now an annual event.
A Maharat Speaks of Her Fertility Journey Read More »
The Call for Articles for this edition of the JOFA Journal began with this hook: “Our awareness of our human capacity for reproduction is a vital aspect of our view of our bodies and ourselves stretching from menarche to menopause.” As women, we are acutely aware of this aspect of our lives, particularly as experienced
It’s Both Public and Private Read More »
among Haredi Women If you are tired of Ḥaredi women being portrayed as oppressed, uneducated, and subservient to their husbands, Michal Raucher’s Conceiving Agency provides a much-needed corrective, reframing our notions of reproductive agency and religious meaning in the ultra-Orthodox community. Using the tools of ethnography and anthropology as well as the academic literature around
Conceiving Agency: Reproductive Authority Read More »
From one step on a ladder to heaven, I dreamed I was seen and seeing her, far beyond my locked down horizon. Yet underway back I tarried on a thoughtful mountain to wrestle a muscled angel, all night long, or was it my angry twin, until dawn, belatedly to realize how one-sided her end meanwhile
Rebecca’s Unwritten Passing Read More »
