Mourning Rituals
Jewish mourning practices provide a profound roadmap to help guide the bereavement process. They are comprised of a series of laws and customs that delineate many marks in the mourning…
Pain Relief in Jewish Law
Judaism is concerned about the quality of life. Illness can be associated with unbearable suffering, and the Torah mandates us to try to alleviate such agony. The patient’s assessment and…
Emotional Support for the Patient and Their Families
The Sages stressed the importance of visiting the sick (“bikur cholim” in Hebrew) and asserted that it is a mitzvah with endless opportunities and possibilities. There are number of benefits…
Mental Health and Goal Setting
People facing critical or terminal illnesses often find themselves emotionally grappling with their condition. Confronting mortality is incredibly difficult, especially when accompanied by the aches and pains of physical illness.…
Time of Death and Posthumous Organ Donation
“Dead Donor Rule” Judaism supports posthumous organ donation. But before a family or hospital staff can discuss organ donation, we must first confirm that the patient has died. Ethicists around…
Misconceptions about Judaism & Organ Donation
The following 4 propositions are true: Judaism supports blood donation. It saves lives. Judaism supports bone-marrow donation. It saves lives. Judaism supports live altruistic organ donation, such as kidneys. It…
Option 18
Welcome to Option 18, the organ donor education initiative of Ematai. In Jewish culture, the number 18 symbolizes life (in Hebrew, חי, chai). The numbers 1 and 8 also symbolize…
Living Donation
What Does Judaism Say About Blood Donation, Bone Marrow Donation, and Living Organ Donation? Judaism supports blood donation. It saves lives. Judaism supports bone-marrow donation. It saves lives. Judaism supports…
General Principles of End-of-Life Care
Key Principles of Decision-Making Regarding End-of-Life Treatment These principles give a general outline of the values that guide Ematai’s perspective on end-of-life care. All specific questions regarding individual cases should…
Withholding and Withdrawing Treatment
Through the miracles of modern medicine, many critically or terminally ill patients can maintain productive lives that include meaningful interactions with loved ones and other members of society. Yet sadly,…
