Rabbi Zalman Lent:

I thank the committee for allowing me time to add the Jewish point of view to the discussion on this important and emotive issue. I am not a medical professional, I am a religious leader representing the Irish Jewish community guided by the strictures of Jewish law, which we call Halakha. I thank the committee for its efforts to bring clarity to these complex issues and for affording me the time to comment.

Judaism views every moment of life as being of supreme value. As such, the life of a newborn child and the life of an elderly patient on life support are of no less value than that of a healthy adult in the prime of life. While inherently valued, a foetus in utero is not deemed to have yet assumed an equal status of full life. It is an incredibly difficult and painful decision to have to terminate a pregnancy, but in certain cases Jewish law may permit a termination to take place. Where carrying the unborn to term would pose a danger and risk to the mother's life, the foetus may be considered to threaten the life of the mother, and to save her life, a termination could be recommended and permitted. Where there is a risk of mental health complications to the mother leading potentially to a threat to the mother's life, a termination may also be permitted. Any such risk would require to be assessed and verified by qualified mental health professionals in conjunction with a competent Halakhic Jewish law authority. In all cases, the decision to terminate a pregnancy would be a last resort after all other avenues to save both mother and child had been explored. In cases of rape or incest, where carrying to term could cause life-threatening mental health issues for the mother, the same criteria would apply and a termination may be permitted. In cases of foetal abnormality or deformity, the general consensus is that the foetus should be carried to full term with exceptions made where there is no chance of a viable life.