Late last week, the United States Supreme Court announced two decisions allowing the Texas ban on virtually all abortions to stand. We are deeply troubled by this ruling. This past September, our Rabbinical Assembly released a statement denouncing the Supreme Court’s previous decision not to act on the Texas law.
Our RA has consistently supported the right of reproductive choice for each individual. Most recently, we signed on to support the Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act (for the second time) and to call for executive action to end United States abortion restrictions on foreign aid.
Additionally, these resources on our website will help you have a nuanced discussion about reproductive rights and Jewish tradition. Below you'll find a selection of our resources:
Resolutions:
- Resolution on Right to Legal and Accessible Abortion in the United States (2021)
- Resolution on Reproductive Freedom in the United States (2012)
- Resolution on Reproductive Freedom (2007)
- Resolution on Support for Informed Access to Reproductive Care (2005)
- Resolution in Support of Stem Cell Research and Education (2005)
Source Sheet:
- Abortion in Jewish Law prepared by our colleague Lee Paskind
Committee on Jewish Law and Standards Responsa:
- Miriam Berkowitz and Mark Popovsky, "Contraception" (2010)
- Avram Israel Reisner, "Ein Dohin Nefesh Mipnei Nefesh" (2001)
- Susan Grossman, "Partial Birth Abortion and the Question of When Life Begins" (2001)
Related Statements:
- Statement on Reproductive Freedom (2019)
- Rabbinical Assembly Expresses Grave Concern over Hobby Lobby Decision (2014)
For more information on the issue of Jewish law and reproductive rights, please see this article by our colleague Danya Ruttenberg for The Washington Post: An ancient mistranslation is now helping to threaten abortion rights.
Below you'll also find several statements and articles reacting to the Supreme Court's latest decision:
- National Council of Jewish Women’s press statement: NCJW Condemns Supreme Court’s Ongoing Failure to Block Texas Abortion Ban
- Planned Parenthood, ACLU, and the Center for Reproductive Rights released a joint statement: Supreme Court Refuses to Block Texas Abortion Ban, Greenlights Bounty-Hunting Scheme
- Nina Totenberg’s breakdown of the case on NPR
- Op-ed by Sarah Seltzer of Lilith Magazine: Not All Religious People Oppose Abortion