Repro Shabbat
At NCJW, we know that kavod habriyot, honoring the dignity of each human being is a core Jewish value. But even before Roe v. Wade’s protections were stripped away by the Supreme Court four years ago, the essential human right of bodily autonomy has come under fire across our country — making it more important than ever that our community reaffirms and honors this right.
That’s why on February 13-14, we celebrate Repro Shabbat — a time to come together as a community to learn about Judaism’s support for abortion because of our Jewish values, not in spite of them.
Repro Shabbat aligns with the date we read Parshat Mishpatim, the biblical verses that lay the foundation for Judaism’s approach to abortion. This Repro Shabbat falls one year into a difficult time for reproductive health and freedom in this country. With a Congress and administration whose leadership have clearly shared their intentions to limit abortion access, this moment could not be more critical to honor our traditional wisdom and continue to pave the way forward in the fight for abortion rights.
Jewish law not only permits abortion, but also requires it when the life or health of the pregnant individual is endangered. Judaism teaches that each of us is made in the image of God — B’tselem Elohim (Genesis 1:26) — every single person’s health is paramount and unassailable; we have an obligation to care for and to protect our bodies and our health, and ensure all others can do the same.
NCJW believes in a world where each of us can control our own body, sexuality, and future with kavod ha’briot — human dignity and compassion for every person, not stigma or political interference. Our values compel us to support full access to safe and legal reproductive care.
But across the country, state legislatures, further emboldened by the US Supreme Court, have been working to add additional roadblocks and barriers to people seeking care. Right now in PA, numerous bills have been introduced in the state legislature that would advance the concept of “fetal personhood” by which a fetus would take precedence over the pregnant person’s health or wishes - a dangerous idea that could lead to criminal prosecution for pregnancy outcomes, whether intended or unintended - in direct opposition to Jewish teaching and First Amendment rights.
But, in spite of all these threats, there are also bills and other efforts right here in our Commonwealth to increase reproductive healthcare and abortion access and freedom. In the legislature, this includes an important bill that would end most of PA’s baseless restrictions on abortion clinics and patients, such as mandatory waiting periods and Medicare restrictions while providing an expansion of abortion care providers. There are also bills that would provide state-level protections in absence of federal protections, such as protecting abortion care clinics and patients from attacks by invasive and dangerous anti-abortion extremists, and codifying emergency abortion care protections.
The recent blows to reproductive rights are a harsh reminder of the reality we live in — a reality where all people are vulnerable to attacks on our basic freedoms and bodily autonomy. But, we also know that through collective care and collective action, we can turn the tide.
Please join us on February 10 for a special Tikkun Yachad event honoring our shared commitment to reproductive health, rights, and justice — because no matter who we are, where we come from, or where we live, access to abortion care is an essential human right.
The fight is long, and at NCJW-Pittsburgh we are committed to continuing to support our community and our partners as we work for reproductive freedom. Please also consider a donation to help us continue this work. Every amount helps!
