This abortion situation in the Reform Judaic Tradition is not easily answered without careful consideration and consultation with the Rabbi. Each case is considered discretely on the individual merits as it should be. Lives should not to be terminated simply as a form of birth control. The option should be available to a Jewish woman when her life is in danger or other situations acceptable to the concerned Rabbi. Does the heart and the soul begin life at conception or at birth ? Reform tradition says that life begins at birth, and that the womens life is condidered first. Other traditions state otherwise. This is the Pandoras Box we are dealing with, and abortion should not be considered lightly. Either way, being called a baby murderer is neither helpful nor appreciated.

In Islam, we believe that abortion is wrong UNLESS the birth of the baby will cause harm to its mother. By harm I mean physical harm because if it is financial harm then it would still be forbidden. Pce y'all

without absolute morals we conduct our lives according to how we feel. there is no right or wrong in that world. its time to wake up and realize there is an absolute truth that we didnt feel like making up.

Does Rabbi Eliahou thinks that women have abortion because they enjoy it ? Did he look at the reasons women have it done ? I'm not for abortion , it's the result of a failure in education , bad behaviour and so on . And did he think about the future of an unwanted child ? The sufferings they will endure . Rabbi , be more HUMAN , for women having abortion is a psychologic and physic trauma . And finally , they are the boss of their body .

I'm against the fact that abortion has to be performed because of failures , bad behaviour , ignorance and so on . Not against performing abortions when needed .

There are close to 50,000 abortions in Israel every year many are due to economic in concerns and can be prevented. Efrat saves the lives of over 1,500 Jewish children every year! by providing support to pregnant women in distress in Israel. I am amazed some people still haven't heard of Efrat. If you haven't go to www.friendsofefrat.org watch the short videos on the site and you'll be AMAZED too. I think supporting Efrat is the most direct way to strengthen Israel and the Jewish People. Remember that's www.FriendsofEfrat.org like one word - Check it out!

Anyway, as unfortunate as it is, making abortion illegal only increases illegal & dangerous procedures. The rabbi is a bit out of touch with reality. Everything possible should be done to limit unwanted pregnancies & while there is certainly nothing good about abortion, it is the lesser evil.

Abortion is morally wrong because it kills a pre-born baby. In the end though it's the woman that has to make that choice.

What people like the rabbi fail to realize, and I daresay that if men could become pregnant there'd be an abortion clinic on every corner, is what took place when the practice was illegal. In the U.S., for instance, there were unmitigated horror stories about what extremes some women would go to in order to end their pregnancies. Believe me, the stories of back alley abortions, which were terrible enough, sometimes seemed to pale in comparison to those horrific situations were desperate women attempted self-induced abortions. That's why many of us, who wish abortions weren't ever necessary, on the other hand, can't forget the stories we heard about the time when safe, medical abortions were unavailable and women would use any means necessary...regardless of the consequences.

Rabbi Eliyahu is right. We are killing our children. Abortion is murder. I would make an exception to save the life of the mother but in today's medical world this is so uncommon. G-d said He hates the shedding of innocent blood. It is in our Torah. One thing I can never forget however, Rabbi Eliyahu, I believe, is the rabbi who told soldiers to obey orders to expel Jews from the Holy Land, from Gaza, to not be insubordinate --- but to do it (expel them) with tears in their eyes. How could he say this? How could he do this? Now these wonderful Jews are virtual refugees in their (our) land.

women who request an abortion should not have to get permission from anyone, and certainly not a hospital commission. in america, we have clinics where abortions are done. the woman needs no one's permission to have an abortion. and that's the way it should be. i'm very surprised to read that the israeli system is treating women like second class citizens regarding their right to abortion. sad.

These hypocrites are not pro-life at all. They're advocating a concept because of religious beliefs (which are contrary to the Torah anyway), not due on compassionate or scientific grounds. They have little compassion for the living human beings whom their and their government's actions and policies humiliate, impoverish and destroy physically and mentally daily. Pro-"lifers," go suck on a thumb.

It is shameful that most women on these these talkbacks are for abortion. I've heard about thousands of women who have had abortions and it has caused such emotional distress to the point of suicide. Either raise the child or give the child up for adoption. It is not your 'right' to kill another person.

Are you aware how emotionally damaged women feel who have had abortions? This is not like getting rid of a wart! The problem is to answer when life is viable. To my knowledge an abortion performed within the first month is acceptable in Jewish law. If it is determined that continuing the pregnancy would do physical harm to the mother, she MUST have an abortion. I would also support an abortion in cases of rape and incest - and the abortion should be performed immediately!

Solomon made the edict to kill the baby that two women disputed as their own. Does this make him a murderer? Some rabbis need their brains cleaned out with an air hose. They presume to know the mind of G-d and forget that Rabbis had no power over any Jew ( except for the role as a teacher, not Priest) until after the fall of the Temple 2,000 years ago after Rome took Israel and the Levite Priests were substituted by lesser Rabbiy'rewho must think their something 'special'. Such a deal, all that refinery, all that power, all that stupidity.Over 80% of all abortions happen spontaniously, every month, to most women. No Drs. no plans. Just happens. This man should go through just one time with this personal pain. Period.

Abortions are never done casually. The good rabbi should understand that sometimes they may be necessary as in the case of rape victims, teenagers who get pregnant or women whose advanced age poses a danger to both themselves and the fetus. They are not usually a matter of choice alone.

Shlomo Hamelech did not order the infant to be put to death. It was a ploy in order to reveal which woman was the real mother. Abortion is permitted ONLY IF the immediate life of the woman is in danger from the continuation of the pregnancy. Abortions for convenience or financial consideration are ASSUR under halachah. This is not a "plot" by "evil men" to oppress women. If you don't want to get pregnant USE BIRTH CONTROL.

The rabbi would agree that abortions are not permitted under halacha as a form of bith control. This does not include cases of rape,incest,abuse...etc ' The article sort of portrayed othodox judaism as not allowing abortions under these circumstances/// just clearing things up!

Recently here in New York, a woman gave birth to a baby that was conceived after she was brutally raped in Mexico. Aside from not having money it is possible that she was a believing Roman Catholic and could not bring herself to have an abortion. But yet she didn't want the babay. So what did she do? After giving birth to teh baby she WRAPPED THE BABY UP IN PLASTIC AND LITERALLY THREW THE BABY IN THE GARBAGE. This despite safehaven laws that allow mothers to leave unwanted babies in hospitals, police stations and firehouses without fear of prosecution. This sadly, is not uncommon because this has happened numerous times in th past, usually involving teen mothers. Sociologists have interviewed such women and found that women who are pregnant in situations like this go through their pregnancies in denial and don't view the baby as a baby but as a foreign object to be expelled from their bodies, like a tumor - ESPECIALLY in the case of pregnancies resulting from rape. When people get pregnant when they don't want to be pregnant and are forced to go through the entire pregnancy for whatever reason, you are more likely to see people throwing newborn babies into garbage cans (and worse). Might as well just let people have the abortions already.

When Baruch Goldstein(May God avenge his blood) a doctor by profession, killed thirty of the Arab enemy in the cave of the patriachs in order to prevent non-stop spilling of Jewish blood, the liberal left was enflamed, condemning the act as the worst atrocity committed in the last few hundred years. On the other hand, when there is agreement amongst doctors to kill one and a half million fetuses- 60000 a year- that my friends is progress There is no better example to show the unbrigable gap between Judaism and western democracy; What Judaism sees as henious is considered by them to be progress,and that which is considered just in Judaism, is seen by them as murder

NOW THAT'S AN OXYMORON

That is still no excuse for abortion. It's not like every unwanted baby goes in the trashcan. IF the mother is in ACTUAL danger, that's different. Women have been having babies since time began. If every pregnacy was a matter of life and death this planet would have millions less people. The pro-choice camp keep telling that to put fear in women and to keep those abortionists in business.

For me Judaism is not killing people because they are Muslims . This is NO JUDAISM . And this was condemned by religious authoritys too . Only a minority of fascits extremists as you agreed . You are a shame on the Jewish Israeli people .

Abortion is a tragedy. My heart breaks for the women who have to undergo it. I thank G-d on my knees that I never had to have one. But, I surely don't blame women who choose to abort an unwanted/unhealthy pregnancy. Educate young women about birth-control, offer alternatives, such as adoption. There are so many childless couples who desperately want a baby. But don't condemn one who chooses not to bear an unwanted child. And don't take the right of decision away from women. The consequences (backstreet abortions etc.) could be horrendous. And, let's be realistic, if men got pregnant, abortions would be available via drive-thu windows.

A LARGE SCIENTIFIC STUDY WAS DONE IN THE USA OF WOMEN WHO HAD ABORTIONS TO SEE IF THEY SUFFERED FROM NEGATIVE EMOTIONS AFTER THE ABORTION. THE OVERWHELMING ANSWER WAS NO. DO NOT ASCRIBE TO WOMEN WHO HAVE ABORTIONS, EVENTS THAT DO NOT TAKE PLACE. JUST BECAUSE YOU THINK IT IS SO DOES NOT MAKE IT SO.

Abortion is the murder of unborn babies. The soul of any person the bible tells us ,is in the 'blood' A baby in the womb has 'blood' has a soul.And recent studies on twins in the womb has shown that their little characters are already developing.The stresses and strains on modern women is terrific and their should be much more help and support for the woman when she is in such a vulnerable position

I can't imagine anything more inhumane than not allowing abortion except judging those who do have abortions for whatever reason. It is also very unJewish. I was not raised Orthodox or Conservative, but I was raised to understand that what separated us from our nonJewish neighbors over a few thousand years was our ability to discern between fanatical and literal translation of the Bible and fear. My instinct tells me that this undue and exaggerated description is a fabrication designed to attack those who may be weaker and vulnerable and unable to fight back, as this is a very sensitive and private issue, overlooking real issues in our world. Also, to say that people have abortions instead of birth control or because of bad behavior? Since when is sex for the sake of sex bad?

Exodus 21:22 provides for a much less severe penalty than death, which is the biblical penalty for murder. That doesn't make abortion permitted, it just isn't murder.

I'm sure if the child in the womb we're offered this choice there would never be another abortion. These innocent human beings have their legs and arms ripped off their fragile bodies--their heads crushed by forcepts and are frequently chemically burned to death. Yes, they would be against abortion. But they are too small and defensless to make that choice aren't they?