At a time when access to reproductive health care is increasingly uncertain across our country, many Jewish communities are turning to something steady and enduring for guidance: our tradition. This February, congregations nationwide will gather for Repro Shabbat, a national initiative of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) that invites Jewish communities to explore how Jewish texts and values speak to reproductive freedom and care. Temple Beth El is proud to once again be part of this national moment of learning and reflection.
Repro Rights Shabbat is observed on the Shabbat when we read Parshat Mishpatim, the Torah portion that lays out a framework for civil law and responsibility. Mishpatim, which means “laws,” offers important insight into how Judaism understands human dignity, bodily autonomy, and our obligations to one another. This Torah portion lays the foundation for Judaism’s approach to reproductive ethics, affirming that a woman is a full and complete person, created b’tzelem Elohim, in the image of God, and that while a fetus carries the potential for life, it is understood as part of her body, with its status and claims always secondary to the life, dignity, and rights of the pregnant woman.
On Friday, February 13, Temple Beth El will mark its third annual Repro Rights Shabbat by welcoming Reverend Dr. Rebecca Todd Peters, author, Professor of Religious Studies, and Founding Director of the Poverty and Social Justice Program at Elon University. Rev. Dr. Peters is a leading voice at the intersection of religion and reproductive justice. Her research has yielded the largest known collection of data on religiously identified people who have had abortions, exploring how religious identity informs the decision to have an abortion and lifting voices of women from across denominations and lived experiences.
Each year, Repro Rights Shabbat offers more than a moment of learning. It is also a chance to reflect and recommit as a community to showing up for one another and supporting organizations that put Jewish values in action. For example, last year, in connection with Repro Rights Shabbat, Jam, Temple Beth El’s young adult group, raised money for our The Red Tent Fund, an abortion access fund rooted in Jewish values that we are proud to call a partner. Last year, with support from congregations like ours, The Red Tent Fund provided funding for more than 1,000 patients to receive essential health care.
This year’s Repro Rights Shabbat at Temple Beth El is sponsored by our Social Justice Committee and reflects a long-standing partnership with the National Council of Jewish Women, whose leadership has helped center Jewish values in reproductive justice work nationwide.
Temple Beth El invites the community to join us on February 13 at 6:13pm. as we continue to affirm that reproductive justice is an expression of Jewish values, encompassing compassion, care, and dignity. Following services, all are welcome to gather for a special Oneg, offering space to connect and carry our sacred values beyond our sanctuary and into the world we help shape every day.
