Jewish Opinion on Pro-Choice/Pro-Life

[Kitsune]

I note that at least one of the members of this group was at least Jewish originally. I have read elsewhere that generally the Jewish belief system is not anti-abortion but thr source I got it from is questionable.

Can anyone confirm or deny?

[Ace Pace]

As far I am aware, in Judaisim its a split topic, on one hand you have a mitzvah to procreate, therfor stopping a birth is wrong, on the other hand, something you find repeated through all of Judaisim, medical reasons trump all, therfor if the mother is in danger, she is allowed to abort.

[Molyneux]

I note that at least one of the members of this group was at least Jewish originally. I have read elsewhere that generally the Jewish belief system is not anti-abortion but thr source I got it from is questionable.

Can anyone confirm or deny?

There is no single "Jewish belief system". It's an old truism that if you ask ten Jews their opinions on a topic, you'll get twelve different answers.

With that in mind, I'm personally split on the issue; if it's a matter of life or death for the mother, abortion is definitely justified, but in other circumstances it's less clearcut.

Abortion is *always* a negative decision; at best it is the lesser of two evils.

[Xenophobe3691]

I note that at least one of the members of this group was at least Jewish originally. I have read elsewhere that generally the Jewish belief system is not anti-abortion but thr source I got it from is questionable.

Can anyone confirm or deny?

Technically, abortion is allowed until half of the baby is out. (Remember, these laws came into being when childbirth was still one of the most dangerous perils to women in existence.)

Judaism is heavily, heavily pro-life, but not anti-choice. Anything required to keep a member of the community alive, barring robbing more from Peter to clothe Paul, is allowed.

Which is why you're not going to find many Jews against stem-cell research. For example, insulin derived from pigs is allowed, and in fact not taking said Insulin would be more of an affront to the faith than forgoing it, if you need it to live. The same goes for eating on Yom Kippur. If you're in danger if you fast, you're required to eat. No rabbi will tell you otherwise.

[Saurencaerthai]

If I recall, the Jewish view is that conception begins at birth, not conception. Generally, abortion is discouraged as a means of regular birth control, but in cases where pregnancy or birth might pose a threat to the mother, the mother is favored over the fetus. In fact, it is practically commanded that the mother have an abortion to save her own life.

[Coyote]

The Rabbis I studied under in Israel said that the unborn was not life, but it was potential life. Abortion was frowned upon but allowable, since realistically it was recognized that right up to 8 months and 29 days something could go wrong and a once-healthy fetus suddenly becomes stillborn.