Jewish Perspectives on Reproductive Rights
Since Roe v. Wade was overturned in June of 2022, abortion’s political, religious, and social impact has been at the forefront of political debate in the United States.
Curated by Olivia Sulkin.
Political and Legal Perspectives across Eras
The intersection of religion and politics is potently manifest in the issue of reproductive rights, especially abortion. Jewish engagement with the subject reaches from the Bible, to early modern rabbinic rulings, and to contemporary political advocacy. These traditions and legal perspectives guide Jews in shaping their own values, and they have moved into the public sphere as Jewish thought leaders speak out to ensure that Jewish perspectives are part of the political discussion.
Practice Safe Politics
This postcard was part of a campaign by Jewish Women Watching criticizing the close relationship between Jewish community leaders and conservative evangelical Christians who were against abortion.
Judaism and Abortion
Balfour Brickner’s testimony was presented at hearings before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments.
Crimes against Persons
These Exodus verses form part of the Hebrew Bible's legal framework, addressing personal status and punishments for crimes against different social classes.
She’elot u-teshuvot yeshanot (Old Responsa): On Marital Deception
This rabbinic responsum, a “response” to a question of Jewish law, addresses the issue of marital deception and its legal ramifications.
This Matter of Abortion
This essay, written after Roe v. Wade, during a time of rising abortion polarization, offers a Jewish legal perspective that shaped national discussions.
Related Content from the Jewish Women's Archive
Personal Experiences
The decision to continue or end a pregnancy is a deeply personal one. These sources explore the tension between personal values, religious precepts, and social expectations and judgments.
Bronx Primitive: Portraits in a Childhood
This excerpt from Kate Simon’s Bronx Primitive: Portraits in Childhood explores the controversial and secretive decision many immigrant women made to get an abortions, and the means of obtaining one.
Related Content from the Jewish Women's Archive
Artistic Explorations
Artistic explorations of abortion grapple with the complexity of abortion and its impact on human rights, addressing cultural connections and the intersection of religion and politics.
Professor Bernhardi
Schnitzler’s personal and professional experiences, including his Jewish faith and extensive education in medicine, inform the themes he addresses in his literary works.
In the Town of Berdichev
Vasily Grossman began his literary career with the publication of In the Town of Berdichev in 1934. This book dichotomously validates the experiences of Jewish families and Russian Revolutionaries dur
A Trumpet in the Wadi
This fictional exploration of interethnic relationships is set in 1980s Israel, a time of significant political and social turmoil owing to the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict.
Untitled (your body is a battleground)
Barbara Kruger produced Untitled (Your body is a battleground), her most famous work, in support of reproductive freedom at the time of the 1989 Women’s March on Washington, DC.
This collection is the result of a summer internship collaboration between the Posen Library and the Jewish Women’s Archives.
Other Curated Collections
Gender Roles
Engage with the gendered dimensions of Jewish life and discover lost voices of Jewish women.
Jewish Gauchos in South America’s Pampas
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the help of philanthropic organizations, many Jews escaping persecution in Russia made new lives for themselves in the South American pampas.
Passover across Jewish Time and Space
Passover is the most celebrated holiday for American Jews. Yet, few appreciate the historical evolution and diversity of its key themes and messages.