Jewish Scene
'Financial crisis drives haredi women to seek abortions'
Kobi Nahshoni
Published: 09.01.10, 08:24
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
33 Talkbacks for this article
1. Abortions
M. Hartley ,   Atlanta, US   (01.09.10)
I can only speak for myself and I don't know what I would do, if I were faced with some of the situations of other women, BUT if my husband tried to THREATEN me into having an abortion, the choice would be very simple: I'd "abort" his sorry a--, and keep the baby. I'll be damned, if I'd continue to be some sort of convenience for a man, who wouldn't want his own child!
2. Options?
Christy ,   Boston, US   (01.09.10)
Abortions can be very difficult emotionally for women, especially religious women. I haven't seen any other options mentioned. Having options may help some of the women. What about preventing unwanted pregnancies? This would seem to be easiest on the women and their families. Do these women have birth control available to them so they could limit the number of children when they need to? Can they obtain birth control easily and inexpensively? The birth control could be used by the husband or the wife. What about adoption? If the family can't afford another child couldn't they put their child up for adoption?
3. Abortion shouldn't be a form of contraception
Talula ,   Israel   (01.09.10)
Why don't these women take the pill?
4. # 2
Birdi ,   Israel   (01.09.10)
Birth control is easily available here from our medical aids. Using birth control is against their (Haredim) religion. I have never heard of a religious family putting their unwanted child up for adoption.
5. #3, b/c they were too lazy to go to the drugstore!
(01.09.10)
6.  a wish
i ,   jerusalem   (01.09.10)
I know this would take a fair amount of tweaking, but maybe we could get M. Hartley to head up the Rabbinate, or Supreme court, or at very least PM?
7. #4 Incorrect
Martin ,   u.k   (01.09.10)
That is incorrect. According to halachah (at least most Rabbis) birth control is absolutely permissable, only that it can only be done through the woman i.e taking the pill etc.. in fact it is very often encouraged by the Rabbis. The Torah's ways are sweet, and only sweet
8. Govt should provide more assistance
blash ,   Los Angeles   (01.09.10)
The world and Israel are in the middle of demographic crises - Islamic women are having more and more children while Western women decide to put off having children or limit the number. It's very simple - to keep Israel Jewish you need more Jews! The government should be setting up incentives for families to keep and have babies - if women decide to abort for financial reasons then that's a pretty major problem.
9. Give up babies for adoption!
Chaya ,   Brooklyn, NY   (01.10.10)
Instead of having an abortion, why not give up babies for adoption! There are so many childless couples who would love to have a Jewish baby, instead of going to some foreign country to adopt a baby and then have to convert the baby!
10. HAREDI MAN WORKS, HAREDI WOMAN DONT CRY.
ATİLLA KARAGÖZOĞLU   (01.09.10)
11. ynet anti-Haredi article dejour
Moshe ,   Beit Shemesh   (01.09.10)
and of course tomorrow ynet will invent ANOTHER anti-Haredi article. you can set your watch by it
12. What a MISLEADING and OVERREACHING title!
L ,   Israel   (01.09.10)
The kind Rabbi tries to dissuade ALL women from seeking an abortion. Just because tens of thousands of women have sought his financial assistance over the past 30 yrs does not mean that any more than a scant handful have been Haredi, if that. It hardly warrants the title. Real fact-driven journalism, please -- not shoddy bias-driven headlines.
13. If the Rabbi knew you were going to twist his words into
(01.09.10)
making it seem as if there were an epidemic wave of Haredi abortions due to the financial crisis -- I'm sure he never would have spoken to you. All he would have to do is google nearly any article you've ever written to see that the only thing that drives your articles is the intent to portray the Haredi world in the most negative light possible.
14. #7, more nonsense
Ari Olvera ,   Tel-Aviv Israel   (01.09.10)
"The Torah's ways are sweet, and only sweet" For men, and only men, you mean. "According to halachah (at least most Rabbis) birth control is absolutely permissable, only that it can only be done through the woman i.e taking the pill etc" oh....ok...clearly no bit of solution to any problem, should be the responsibility of the haredi "Men". As usual.
15. #5: W R O N G !
(01.09.10)
Watching secretly day-in day-out soap-operas soothes their pains. Let's forgive them, plse §!!?
16. Reply to #8 Blash
Avi ,   Israel   (01.10.10)
The goverment should provide more assistance? If you are refering to the ultra orhthadox who have one kid after the next and then expect the state to fund this lifestyle of theirs . The point is these people are milking the system dry without contributing anything. The women in question would be advised to tell her husband to go get a job!
17. Totally biased article
Shalom Hartman   (01.10.10)
Did the author mention how many hareidi couples? It stated "even hareidi . . ." - hmm - yet enough to make a huge headline, huh??? Abortion is permitted for medical and/or emotional reasons. Contraception is allowed for the same reasons; many women today take the pill if they couldn't cope with "one a year". My own wife had c-sections; and used the pill after 3 for 2 years, and the diaphragm after the last child.
18. To #16
Loyal Jew ,   Efrat   (01.10.10)
He HAS a job, learning Torah. By doing so, he is supporting us all. We owe them a living, if not out of gratitude then out of fear of what will happen to us if he stops. Shame on you, with your 1 dog, 2 kids, 3 televisions, etc. G-d is watching.
19. #14 if there were a hormone-based contraception for men,
L ,   Israel   (01.10.10)
then that could be an option, but as the condom is the only real male contraception, therein lies the problem with the halacha of "spilling seed". It's not, as you would suggest, an issue of men vs women. Sorry.
20. Let's see: Haredi bashers get both sides of the coin, hm?#16
(01.10.10)
#16 Avi (surprise) goes on the usual rant about "the ultra orhthadox who have one kid after the next and then expect the state to fund this lifestyle of theirs...these people are milking the system dry". So, they're having more children in order to "live it up" on public funds, Avi? BUT the author of this journalistic mess, Kobi Nachshoni (who's in close competion with Haredi-bashing Avi), claims that (these supposed Haredim, he implies) "can't bear the costs of raising another child". So, what? You can have your cake and eat it too, Avi & Kobi? Win-win.
21. #4 You're Wrong
nr ,   los angeles, usa   (01.10.10)
Halacha does allow birth control - for the woman. I know. I'm Chabad and my Rabbi said yes when I asked. Jewish men are not allowed to waste their seed, and hence, the condom is not an option. No one pressured me to have more children. And Avi, those religious people having children and "sucking" the system dry are keeping Israel demographically Jewish. Get over your hatred of them. They're doing all of us Jews a favor. Don't worry so much - the haradei will start entering the work force. I'm sure when that happens you'll figure out something else to hate about them.
22. Do Ynet search for "Kobi Nahshoni"&EVERY article anti Haredi
(01.10.10)
They should just rename his columns: The Daily Haredi-Bash. It's THAT obvious.
23. #7 the sweet ways of the Torah?
Dorothy Friend ,   Tel Aviv   (01.10.10)
Have you spoken with any agunot, halitzot and women who have been refused a divorce recently?
24. Contraception
Rina ,   Israel   (01.10.10)
These couples should use contraception rather than murdering their babies. What a horrible tragedy.
25. 24 - I don't consider abortion murder...
Dorothy Friend ,   Tel Aviv   (01.10.10)
and think it should be totally a decision between a woman and her doctor (no degrading committee)...but did you know that some orthodox women get abortions for genetic reasons? It's because a baby with a genetic problem will destroy the sibs chances for a good shiduch.
26. Abortions
Marilyn ,   USA   (01.10.10)
With human life created by G-d, have to have respect. This is even if they happen to be totally weak or totally dependent at the time. And who knows someday they could save your lives. And these husbands (or anyone else for that matter) should be respecting women and not be treating them badly and pressuring them to have abortions. To have a life so close to a woman just killed and in some cases thrown in the garbage (I'm not sure if this happens in Israel though) can be extremely traumatic. I would be saying then what does this say about me also? We are all connected-cannot get away from this. There was a quote that I was thinking of in that the greatness of a society is judged by how it treats it's weakest and most vulnerable members.
27. Abortion is a failure , always ,
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (01.11.10)
a failure of prevention . It's a psychological and physical trauma for every woman , and they don't go to have an abortion with pleasure . But , what is better : an abortion or an unwanted child ? what is better an abortion or a child that will be a handicaped ? Human life created by god ? we live in the 21th century , we know better . And a foetus is not an human being for me , for christians it can be so , let them preach in their communities . Give a child for adoption ? This after this baby was 9 months in a women's body ? That she had feel him living ? That's also a great trauma for her . So , in most cases , abortion is the lesser evil .
28. Dorothy , 23 , you forgot
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (01.11.10)
You could add : or to any 17 year old girl married to a totally unknown guy , to a 19 year old mother of three , to a young woman that is a slave worker to feed her children and "husband" ? Abortion ? yes , but not for a minor "imperfection" discovered at the 7th or 8th month of pregnancy .
29. #28 - I know a couple that adopted a haredi child...
Dorothy Friend ,   Tel Aviv   (01.11.10)
...who was put up for adoption in the USA because he lacked thumbs. They dumped the kid because of the problems he would have caused in making shiduchim for the sibs had he been around.
30. Dorothy , for two thumbs ?
Charles ,   Petach Tikva   (01.12.10)
i can't believe it , that "parents" reject a child for such a reason And they are fit to have other children ? This "father" should be castrated , and their other children taken away from such unworthy "parents" PS I believe you , don't misunderstand me .
Next talkbacks
Back to article