Orthodox Jewish Leaders Ought to Defend Unborn Babies in Public

Many Jewish influencers from liberal sectors of Jewish culture who have the attention of publishers, politicians, and lobbying groups repeat the narrative across US and Israeli media that abortion is a religious right/rite and a Jewish value.  

In contrast, very few Orthodox Jewish leaders speak out publicly in defense of innocent human life in the womb or they release ambiguous statements on the subject that aid and abet the Jewish pro-abortion point of view. 

After decades of silence from observant Jews amidst relentless pro-abortion messaging in media and from pulpits and establishment Jewish organizations, the majority Jewish opinion is far removed from the normative Jewish legal position that destroying an innocent child in the womb is prohibited except in rare cases of imminent threats to the mother's physical life. With the recent repetitive amplification of the Jewish pro-abortion position that child killing is endorsed, acceptable and defensible in Jewish law and theology, more Jews than ever before believe this to be true, and the general public now has the impression that Judaism is a baby killing cult.

Antisemites on the right use this impression to justify attacks against Jews, one of the many reasons for the increase not mentioned by the ADL, the liberal Jewish media, or the liberal mainstream media. Jew haters on the left endorse this impression to perpetuate Jewish genocide, a reality lost on self-promoting Jewish pro-abortion activists and their followers. For this reason alone it is obligatory that the Orthodox Jewish community broadcast a clear pro-life position within their communities and to the general public.

Abortion is very dangerous to Jews in many ways besides the anti-semitic threat generated by ubiquitous Jewish pro-abortion advocacy in media and culture. 

Abortion kills our children.

Abortion harms our women, causing infertility and debilitating emotional and mental problems.

Abortion offends HaShem, the Creator of life made in His image.

Abortion destroys Yiddishkeit and slows the coming of the Messianic age.

Several factors explain this lack of clear moral leadership from Orthodox Jewish leaders.

Orthodox Jewish leaders fear reprisals from pro-abortion government agencies.

Orthodox Jewish leaders fear attacks from militant pro-abortion terrorists.

Orthodox Jewish leaders have community members quietly in favor of abortion leniency. 

Orthodox Jewish leaders depend on donations and anticipate losing financial support if they speak publicly in favor of life.

Orthodox Jewish leaders are pressured to maintain autonomy around abortion decisions for their members and mistakenly think that legal limits on child killing will significantly curtail their authority.

Orthodox Jewish leaders lack valuable information about current medical interventions that save both baby and mother from harm when a pregnancy presents a concern for the mother's health.

Orthodox Jewish leaders lack valuable information about the latest research showing that abortion outcomes for women are far worse than child bearing even in the most stressful situations.

Orthodox Jewish leaders lack valuable information about life saving alternative Jewish pregnancy care resources and adoption options that resolve mental health and family issues related to unintended and embarrassing pregnancies.

Additionally, Orthodox Jewish leaders are busy with many other concerns and tasks related to daily observant life and worship.

Do we fear worldly consequences for speaking out to defend innocent human life or do we fear HaShem for staying silent? Ought Orthodox leaders, to whom many observant Jews look for spiritual guidance, fear worldly consequences for speaking out to defend innocent human life or fear HaShem for staying silent? Lack of leadership in this area indicates that our religious leaders need support in this life and death battle just as Moses needed support from Joshua and Hur in the battle against the Amalekites, Exodus 17:8 - 17:13.

8 The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.” 10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning.12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. 

Orthodox Jewish leaders can learn and benefit from the pro-life education offered by The Jewish Pro-Life Foundation. We invite anyone reticent to speak out to visit our website for information and support.

Cecily Routman

May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and good life upon us and upon all Israel. Amen.