Tevet/Shevat 5771
Jewish Family Congregation www.jewishfamilycongregation.org
January 2011
From the Rabbi’s Desk Recently, there was a lengthy article in The Jewish Week backlash, I would say that it is deserved. about a group of Orthodox rabbis rejecting the notion that The irony is that this ruling was made public at the very death can be determined by studying and measuring the end of November, which had been designated as National Organ Donor Month, and all synagogues in New York were functions of the brain. Until some time in the 1980s, the standard for deter‐ asked to publicize this via an Organ Donor Shabbat. Be‐ mining death in the Orthodox world was respiration – cause we here had been distracted by other things when breathing. Then, the most prominent of Orthodox legal the mailing came in, we did not hold an Organ Donor Shab‐ bat. But we ordered some materials from the NY State thinkers accepted the idea that respiration can be main‐ tained by technological devices, even after the brain has Donor Registry, and we are now taking up the cause with ceased to function. When the devices are withdrawn, urgency. breathing stops and death can be pronounced. If the de‐ Did you know that there are 110,000 candidates in this vices are not put into use before the brain ceases to func‐ country awaiting organ transplants? Did you know that tion, death can be pronounced much earlier. there are 10,000 people awaiting organ transplants in New When a person is kept on life supports, so that technol‐ York State? Did you know that 18 people die every day ogy takes over the basic functions of the brain, the organs because of a shortage of donors? are kept alive and healthy. This makes them eligible for transplantation. That the brain has ceased to function Jewish law has always argued for the preservation of does not cause the organs to deteriorate, so that lives may the dignity of the deceased person. Orthodoxy goes even further, based on its belief in the physical resurrection of be saved through the transplanting of these organs. But the Orthodox rabbis who rejected “brain death” as a the dead, and says that the whole body must be buried, so standard for measuring life took themselves and their com‐ that it can be resurrected when the Messiah comes. munities backward to the previous thinking, that respira‐ Against this stands the equally important Jewish empha‐ tion is what indicates that a person is still alive. This flatly sis on saving lives. Based on that alone, many important ignores what medical science has been able to give us in decisors of Jewish law have accepted the idea that a per‐ the last 30 years. And it rules out the possibility of Ortho‐ son’s organs can be used to save the life of another, after dox Jews donating their organs to save other lives. they are of no more use to the original owner. Since the These same rabbis ruled that it is, nonetheless, permis‐ imperative of saving lives overrides even Sabbath obser‐ sible for those same Orthodox Jews to receive organs do‐ vance, it has been accepted that it overrides the need to nated by someone (presumably not Jewish, or at least not bury a body intact. And of course, we are a liberal congregation, not bound Orthodox) who was declared brain‐dead, and whose or‐ gans were preserved from deterioration by artificial respi‐ by the rulings of Orthodox rabbis in any case. ration. This drew sharp criticism from many who argued So I ask you to take up this cause, and to do the follow‐ that this is hypocritical, and an embarrassment to all Jews. ing: (Continued on page 13) “We won’t give but we will take.” If that generated some From the Rabbi’s Desk Service Schedule President’s Message JFC Adults JiFTY Just For Kids The Religious School Early Childhood Center ECC pictures
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