Jewish Pro-Life Outreach Expands at NRLC Convention

By Kathleen Sweeney, Outreach Department

A new Jewish outreach workshop at NRLC's Convention '99 emphasized a working relationship between local pro-life leaders and the Jewish pro-life organizations, the Institute for Religious Values and Christians and Jews for Life. The Jewish leaders of these organizations, Chris Gersten and Rabbi Moses Birnbaum, described in the workshop what the Jewish pro-life efforts have recently accomplished and what goals they feel are attainable in the near future.

Rabbi Birnbaum, director of the Plainview Jewish Center, the largest Conservative Congregation of Long Island, New York, said, "We are, as a small movement, focusing on partial-birth abortion as a first issue that we emphasize because it is unique in its total violation of Jewish law... Something is wrong if Jews cannot unite with their Christian brothers and sisters on a practice that is tantamount to infanticide."

"I'm gratified that a small number of Reform rabbis and 50 Conservative rabbis have come aboard opposing partial-birth abortions. [A total of about 170 rabbis have signed the open letter opposing partial-birth abortions which the Institute of Religious Values sponsored].

"I converted many when I explained that in a partial-birth abortion... the abortionist precisely violates the [Jewish law against] 'setting aside one life for another' as laid down by the Mishnah," Rabbi Birnbaum said. "The Mishnah expressly gives the baby's life equal status with the mother when the majority of the baby is born. "

The rabbi explained that at least 93% of abortions (elective abortions) do not meet the requirements of Jewish law. "Abortion-on-demand is not the Jewish way," he commented. "I think the case for unanimity in the Jewish community in favor of abortion rights, and particularly for partial-birth abortions, is overstated."

Many of the workshop attendees were interested in how to communicate on pro-life issues with Jewish communities in their area. Gersten, a Reform Jew, president of the Institute for Religious Values and organizer of last November's Jewish-Christian dialogue at Catholic University, "Affirming the Sanctity of Life," provided specific goals and actions that can be pursued immediately.

1) Create a list of names: the synagogue's rabbi, cantor, assistant rabbi, president of synagogue, members of the executive committee. In large cities, find the Jewish community organizations listed in the phonebook.

2) Start sending them material showing what a Jewish organization is saying about the life issues. There is a brochure plus the statement of Jewish rabbis opposing partial-birth abortions, to begin with. It is important to point out that one-third of the rabbis who signed the open letter were not Orthodox rabbis: they were Conservative or Reform.

There are also several articles available on Jewish pro-life thinking and experience. In addition, there is a tape of the presentations by Jewish rabbis and leaders at the conference, "Affirming the Sanctity of Life," at the Columbus School of Law, held last November. An advertisement for Jewish newspapers has been developed. A book by Sandi Merle, From the Hunter's Net, a Jewish-Catholic dialogue on partial-birth abortion, is also available. These can be obtained by contacting the Institute for Religious Values at 540-668-6610 or gersten1@ aol.com.

3) Structure an event such as a one-day conference or a luncheon meeting. (Contact the above number for speakers.) Gersten stressed that it is important to structure this as "a dialogue on Christians and Jews affirming the sanctity of human life." He also recommended beginning the discussion with assisted suicide since the Jewish Rabbinical Assembly is on record as being opposed to assisted suicide and this is something most Jews are against.

"When you get Jewish people to recognize that the language for legal abortion in Roe v. Wade is the same as for assisted suicide, which they oppose, you develop a chink in the support for abortion-on-demand-it begins to unravel the intellectual defense of elective abortion," Gersten pointed out.

The main goal, Gersten said, is "moving the Jewish community toward reducing abortion through specific legislative initiatives such as parental notification, the Child Custody Act, informed consent, partial-birth abortion ban, and an assisted-suicide ban." The ten Jewish senators in Congress, according to Gersten, are "acutely aware of our efforts." Non-legislative ways of reducing abortions such as promoting adoption, pregnancy help, post-abortion healing, and general education about Jewish law on abortion and euthanasia are also part of the effort.

This workshop generated a strong sense of hope and purpose through the mutual support between Jewish and Christian pro-life leaders that was evident and is now expanding. (A tape of this workshop is available by calling 202-626-8800, ext. 142 or by faxing a request to 202-347-5907.)