I had to read this twice, couldn't believe what I saw. This father accepted a transplant for his daughter- and he 'graciously' does not mind that it is an Arab donor- . I am appalled- if this is religious behavior- no thank you. if you don't sign a donor card you don't get any either- this is up to the individual person- but to accept it and then give an interview like this- despicable- with the grieving family of the donor in the next room- how could he? . it was 'just ' an Arab organ, so he doesn't mind- such a patronizing, racist mentality. I hope this man is a minority - he should be reprimanded. His behavior is beyond contempt.

donation as practiced in Israel is a big issue. To whit, that of defining the Time of Death of the patient whose organs are donated. Some Rabbis don't accept brain-death as a definition of death - there was, at the time the definition was adopted, simply too much room for error when measuring brain-wave activity to have a consensus in Judaism on this issue, and for those who don't accept brain-death as being dead, having your organs cut out at that time would be murder. Do you understand the issue now? And why an Arab donor would be easier to accept than a Jewish one? Were the donor Jewish, there would have been the fear of having profited from the murder of another, but Muslims and Christians don't have a problem with accepting brain death - and in Judaism, anyone who isn't Jewish is left to his own definitions and terminology, so if brain-death is acceptable for Arabs a Jew will not dispute the issue. Is that a bit clearer?

the reasons . But has the definition of dead not been adapted here ? if my memory is correct , i think i had read something about this . But even if this is the reason , i can't find any reason for this father to talk in the way he did . And what about a transplant of a kidney from a living Jewish person ? There is no murder involved then .

... and by Hacham Ovadya Yosef, no less! This Haredi man is stuck in the dark ages!

NO, this does not make sense to me- make excuses all you want. Do you think for us Christians it is easy to accept a dead persons organ? Brain-dead or not? Profiting from a Jews death is worse than from a Christian or Arab's death? You are surely kidding- this is the way you think? Christians don't have a problem with brain death because they are barbarians, anti- semites etc. etc.? I hear you, loud and clear! Obviously you think unless one is Jewish he is not a worthy human being and can be cut up at will? Well, don't saign a donor card then, and when you or someone in your family is in need of an organ, - just die- don't even ask to be saved, ok? You needn't accept a lowly organ from an unworthy Christian or even worse, an Arab.....

An Arab heart will palpitate in this chest, giving Lord’s lessons to fanatics who teach hatred, killing hope and are contaminating the Holy Land

And most Orthodox Rabbis accept it as well. Just not all. This particular person and his family some of those that follow a stream of Judaism that has yet to accept brain-death as death. This was discussed about a year ago, in an attempt to reach a consensus between all streams of Judaism, but the agreed upon solution, that having a Rabbis with medical credentials participate in the committee to define a set criteria for "dead" due to brain-death in Israel, was flatly refused by medical committees in Israel as "religious infringement in professional medical issues". This regardless of the fact that this, first and foremost, is a matter of *ethics and faith*, not merely that of purely medical considerations. As for a kidney transplant, that was never the problem. A living donor isn't an issue in Judaism - being a card-carrying Adi post-death donor is, though, as is any law making all people in Israel such donors automatically. And yes, the father comes from a somewhat racist family, that much is apparent - he himself doesn't sound like one much, though - after all, he did mainly repeat discussions that the rest of the family had.

If you want me to take you seriously, don't put words in my mouth, okay? Did I talk about whether or not it's easy for Christians to accept organ donations from the recently deceased? Did I mention "profit from death" at any point? Did I call Christians, Muslims, or Arabs barbarians, anti-Semites, or any other slur you seem to have accused me of using? Did I call *anyone* sub-human, below me? No, I didn't. You just seemingly prefer to see it that way. So let me reiterate - this is *purely* a matter of the religious definition of death - of *when* a person is *dead*, alright? In Christianity, such matters are left solely in the hands of medical professionals. This is also largely the case in Islam. I'm not familiar with the religious practices of other religions enough to say how this matter is handled in further religions. In *Judaism*, there is something called Halacha - that's Jewish Religious Law, codified and written down, which defines the way Jews live as defined by our faith and religious customs. One of those definitions includes when a person is dead - to whit, when the heart is certain to have failed utterly. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bereavement_in_Judaism#Donating_organs Read the article section, please. In Judaism, or in the stricter streams of it that is, a person whom a medical professional considers dead via brain-death analysis is not dead yet. Harvesting organs from that person may very well be considered murder - and any person who believes that will not sign a donor card, nor will he take kindly to taking donations from a dead Jew as that might be *saving someone's life* via *murder*. That is not something that Christians or Muslims believe. And in Israel, Arabs are either Christian or Muslim, by and large - hence why the father in this article was relieved to hear that the organ came from an Arab - in this, he was certain that it did not come from a person who *could have been* considered alive when the organs were harvested - again, because Christians and Muslims hold different beliefs on the matter of when a person is dead, and Jews don't impose the Jewish religious definition in the Halacha on others. I sincerely hope you understand the issue better now, and that you might just calm down a bit.

And Rabbi Ovadya Yosef is a Sephardic Rabbi, not an Ashkenazi one, not a Hassidic one, not a Yemenite Jewish one... we're a multi-faceted community, and opinions vary.

There are valid concerns on all sides and trivializing serious Halacha issues actually DISCOURAGES more organ donation, encourages Sinat Chinam, and serves no one except anti-Semites. The horrible fact is that Drs. often tend to play G-d and 'harvest' (ughh!!) organs in a 'donor' while his is still alive -- and then 'time' his/her demise to facilliate better organ donation. While the motivation may be loftly, Halacha does not allow us to sacrifice one life, no matter how comprimised, over another. Haradim would universally view it as a great Mitzvah to donate organs (after Halachic death) if the body and soul of the 'donor' were better respected and not callously violated by encouraging a pre-mature death.

I apologize, Roman, thank you for the explanation, you are most patient. I understand what you are saying and what your teachings are- Christians also do not want to profit from some persons death, believe- however if that person is clinically dead- beyond help- then we believe in donating an organ you can make a sick person have a life, a better life, a longer life.... this is a generous gift , like giving your life in a way to save another person. I would be happy to be able to save another persons life should I ever have an fatal accident, etc. The father's interview was most unfortunate and it sounded terrible uncaring and mercenary- especially with the grieving family so close. Shabbat Shalom, Roman, thank you.

"we believe in donating an organ you can make a sick person have a life, a better life, a longer life.... this is a generous gift , like giving your life in a way to save another person. I would be happy to be able to save another persons life should I ever have an fatal accident, etc." - Lisa I feel exactly as you and so do many Israelis. I've had a donor's card for about 30 years. The reason this article has been published is because the girl's father is acting so selfishly. He willingly accepts the heart for his child but refuses to be a would-be donor. He cites religious reasons but most religious scholars approve of organ donation. Have a nice day.

i agree with you 100% as an israeli. please understand that haredi people are a very limited minority in israel and are mostly detested by israelis in general. yes, the man is a racist. however, do not paint all israelis with the same brush. this man, as i said, is a minority. most israelis would not only thank the arab israeli family for their gift to life, but will honor the memory of their poor poor son who died so young in an accident. israelis do not think like this religious man and judaism and our rabbis say that organ donations are a mitzva! an honor to do for humanity, etc.. again, we apologize for this man's insensitivity and i want to personally thank the family of that little boy who is now in heaven and who made it possible for a jewish child to continue living. i and all of israel is saying a prayer for this little boy and his family. shalom salam

no, it is not. if you bother to read all our israeli talkbacks you will see that israelis are DISGUSTED WITH THIS PERSON WHO SAID THIS ABOUT ARABS' BLOOD. these charedi people are a very small minority in israel that live with the religious laws of the desert from centuries ago and DO NOT REPRESENT THE ISRAELI SOCIETY AT ALL. we israelis will also give our blood and organs to any arab that needs it. we are all humans and our blood is the same color. if you knew israelis, you'll know that we will do this honor and favor for any arab child who needs treatment and any organs from israel. you know we treat arab children in our hospitals and even accept arab muslim children from iraq and even iran for treatment in israeli hospitals and by jewish doctors. we are not racist. we have the same humanity that you do. do not paint us israelis all of us with the same b rush you paint this disgusting charedi man. my honor and thnaks to the arab family and the wonderful gift they gave a jewish child in israel and may the god keep their little boy safe and happy in heaven.

accepted. Allow me to clarify one last issue, though. Jews also believe that when a person is dead then his organs should be used to prolong and improve the lives of others - and organ donation in general is seen as a very good step toward saving the life of another - and in Judaism, saving a person whose life is in danger is above all. The problem here, by and large, is a conflicting definition of "dead" between the medical profession and some religious representatives of their respective Jewish communities - for them, it results it is a terrible internal conflict between the wish to save further lives and accepting that their relative is truly dead. Yes, the father's interview was unfortunate. Yes, he does *sound* mercenary - but he isn't. He would be one of the first to sign a donor cards if the issue of defining the moment of death were resolved to his complete satisfaction, I'm sure.

Haredim are takers; never givers. This type of execrable behavior is totally in keeping with their mentality, which is an absolute shame for normative Jews.

The soup kitchens, help for the homeless and the destitute, interest-free loans... Did you even bother checking reality before opening your mouth? Haredim give a lot - quite a lot, in fact. Or is stereotyping merely easier?

They ask and receive much from seculars . And how could they give , Jerusalem and Bne Brak are the poorest Jewish towns , with a great proportion of charidin .

Yes, they are. Do they still quite a lot to charity? Yes, they do. That's how they're brought up - 10%-20% goes to charity, except when one needs charity himself. Are Charedim the only ones to give to charity? No, I never claimed they were. But saying tha Charedim take without giving is simply untrue, and borders on bigotry and is about stereotyping people because it's easier than actually getting to know them.

the week before he was nearly a donor. I don't think that was a coincidence. Somebody wanted to make $300,000. on his body parts. His skin alone was worth a fortune.

where is the doctors outrage at the racism here? do we just accept this?

Being an atheist, I'm certainly not about to defend hyper-religiosity of any sort.. However, Roman does an excellent job of explaining the father's position. The issue has absolutely nothing to do with race, and tossing around such a highly-charged accusation is irresponsible.

Tell me how people having barely enough for themselve , can give to charity ? Charidim , it's sure , and i wrote it already more than once , are doing a great job in many organisations , others would not [ ZAKA is the best example ] When Seculars contribute , they don't do it , contrary to most of charidim , because it's a Mitzwa , and they could be rewarded , no , they are doing it WITHOUT awaiting any reward , only for helping others .

"It's easy for us to receive .., but we would never donate," That's the answer on question why goyim hate jews.

receive nothing in exchange to not be obliged to donate organs.

You don't want to donate? Carry an opt out card. You don't carry an opt out card? Your organs can be harvested. You carry an opt-out card and need a transplant? Go to the end of the list (actually, I don't know if that's part of the European system, but it's a good idea. What kind of religious persons refuse to participate in saving lives but is willing to take all they can get

absolutely inhumane and disgusting

This is an interesting situation, but applies only to a small number of Israelis, and an even smaller number of Jews. Per capita, Jews give more to charity than any other religion. Supposed "stinginess" can't possibly be the real reason for antisemitism.

i WAS FURIOUS WHEN I WATCHED THE TV SPECIAL , A HEART FROM jENIN, AND SAW THE INHUMAN AND CERTAINLY UNJEWISH BEHAVIOUR OF THE HAREDI FAMILY WHOSE DAUGHTER'S LIFE HAD BEEN SAVED BY THE HEART OF THE SON OF HIS ARAB GUEST. AS A TRANSPLANT RECIPIENT, AS A JEW, AND AS A HUMAN BEING I EXPRESS DISGUST AT THE HAREDI MAN'S ACTIONS. HE SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF.