New Jersey – A bill that would require New Jersey driver’s license applicants to declare whether they wish to become organ donors is triggering a debate in some sectors of the Jewish community.
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At issue is whether a proposed state law aimed at saving lives might conflict with Halacha — Jewish law –– which prohibits taking one person’s life in order to save another’s.
Mix in the bioethical question of when death occurs and you have the ingredients for opposition in some quarters of the Orthodox rabbinate.
State Senate President Richard Codey (D-Dist. 27), author of the bill, calls it the “NJ Hero Act.”
The legislation would require that within five years, all applicants for a driver’s license or identification card must first answer whether they want to become an organ donor. If they choose “yes,” their donor status would appear on their license and would be kept on file with the Motor Vehicle Commission.
If undecided, applicants would be asked to name another person to make that decision on their behalf. Those who say “no” would have to check a box certifying they understand the gravity of making that decision.
The bill would also require public high schools to provide mandatory courses in organ donation.
“The point of this legislation is to move the discussion out of the emergency room and into the living room,” said Codey as he announced the proposal, pointing out that some 4,200 New Jerseyans are currently on waiting lists for organ transplants, and since 1997, some 2,500 have died while waiting.
“We are mandating a discussion, one that can and will save lives and make everyone a hero,” he said.[njjn]
“being that we as Yidden aren’t allowed to donate”. Don’t be so hasty. It depends whom you ask. There are many respectable rabbonim who hold that you are allowed to donate, but only in specific circumstances. The HOD Society makes a donor card that specifies that a family-appointed rabbi must be consulted before they take your organs. For this NJ law, you can just put down the rov’s name.
Does checking off ‘no’ prevent a dying person’s family from donating usable organs at a time that such a donation would be halachically permissible?
Been there, done that (I received a kidney from a live (frum) donor, al pi Halachah.)
Organ transplant, as anything else in life, is beYad Hashem. If it is nigzar that a recipient will get an organ, he or she will get the organ.
Hishtadlus MUST be balanced with Bitachon, and strict adherence to Halachah.
I think that it’s a very smart bill. I personally know of the hardship of having good organs and an undecided family saying no when the person might have wanted to donate his organs while many critically ill people await these organs.
And being that we as Yidden aren’t allowed to donate then we’ll just have to check off no.
I don’t really see a problem, it has been this way in NY ever since I can remember, We as jews just check off “NO”.
Sounds good to me – you can name a rov whom you trust to make the decision. Or, if you hold that it’s always assur, you can just say no.