Evergreen
Why Parents Are the Only Loved Ones Traditionally Mourned a Full Year
Rites for mothers and fathers are more demanding than those for other relatives, even siblings, spouses and children.
Sheloshim: The First 30 Days of Mourning
Following shiva, the sheloshim period of less intensive mourning lasts until the 30th day after the funeral.
How to Make a Shiva Call
Because a shiva call requires total sensitivity to the needs of the mourner, the tradition mandates appropriate behaviors for the visitor.
Shiva, the First Seven Days of Mourning
Shiva is observed in the home as an intensive mourning period for close relatives.
Single Motherhood and Artificial Insemination
Despite some legal and ethical concerns, single women should not be prohibited from becoming pregnant with donor sperm.
Judaism and Surrogacy
Many Jewish authorities allow surrogacy for couples facing infertility, but the practice poses several complex challenges in Jewish law.
Euthanasia: A Jewish View
Traditional rabbinic authorities forbid instigating the death of a terminally ill patient.
In Vitro Fertilization: Jewish Considerations
Most Jewish authorities permit test tube conception, but worry about what to do with the unneeded genetic material.
Euthanasia: Medieval Sources
The major codes of Jewish law forbid actions that hasten death, but some allow the removal of impediments to death.