“Bringing an orphaned child into the world is an unimaginable act.”
Political correctness must be a struggling species in Israel, to judge from comments about sperm donation from a leading rabbi. "A woman who decides to have a baby out of wedlock by means of a sperm donation is unbelievably cruel," said Rabbi Nachum Rabinowitz, of the Religious Zionism movement. "Bringing an orphaned child into the world is an unimaginable act."

In case anyone was in danger of misconstruing his remarks, Rabbi Rabinowitz continued: "Whoever plans on having a baby like this by choice, just in order to fulfill her needs as a mother, has exceeded all evil and cruelty. A woman like this is not fit to be a mother for any human creature."

He was supported by other rabbis at a conference of the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization, a foundation designed to form bonds between the religious and secular in Israel. "There is no such thing as a single-parent family, just like there is no square that is a circle. A family consists of a father, mother, and children," added his colleague, Rabbi Yaakov Ariel. ~ Ynet, Aug 7

• Author
• Recent Posts

Michael Cook

Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.

Latest posts by Michael Cook (see all)

• How long can you put off seeing the doctor because of lockdowns? - December 3, 2021
• House of Lords debates assisted suicide—again - October 28, 2021
• Spanish government tries to restrict conscientious objection - October 28, 2021