BIRTH

Reform:

The Jewish religion has traditionally been opposed to birth control or abortion when practiced for purely selfish reasons. A home without children, Jews believe, is a home without blessing. A person highest fulfillment is in his children and his family life. According to Jewish law, every man and women have a solemn obligation to bring at least two children to the world. However Judaism has always sanctioned birth control, it is accepted under certain conditions such as: where pregnancy represents a health hazard to the mother or child, or when previous children have been born defective. Modern Judaism has extended this concept to include extreme poverty, inadequate living conditions and threats to the welfare of existing children in the family. The Central Conference of American Rabbis (Reform) goes so far as to declare that birth control is a necessity under certain family conditions. "We urge the recommendation of the members of intelligent birth regulations." (Adopted in 1930.) Most Reform and some Conservative rabbis subscribe to the program of planned parenthood.

A closely related issue is that of therapeutic abortion, prescribe by a physician to save the life or health of a pregnant woman. In Jewish law such an action is considered entirely justified. The life of the mother, Jews believe, is more important than that of a child not yet born, both to her husband and to any other children she might have.

The most important consideration in both questions is: what is the best for the entire family? The sanctity of marriage is not in reproduction. It is in the bond that exist between husband, wife and the children they want and love.