Abortion


Resolution Adopted by the CCAR

On Abortion and the Hyde Amendment

Adopted by the CCAR at the 95th Annual Convention of

the Central Conference of American Rabbis

Grossingers, New York, June 18-21, 1984

Whereas

the Central Conference of American Rabbis has gone on record in 1967, 1975, and 1980

in affirming the right of a woman or individual family to terminate a pregnancy;

and,

Whereas

the Central Conference of American Rabbis opposes amendments and legislation that

would abridge or circumscribe this right; and

Whereas

the so-called Hyde Amendment restricts the use of Medicaid funds for abortion; and

other amendments have had a similar effect in other federal programs, so that a woman

dependent on government health care cannot obtain a medically necessary abortion

even if she is the victim of rape or incest or if her health is seriously jeopardized by

continuation of the pregnancy; and

Whereas

these restrictions have created greater health risks for poor women who have conscientiously

chosen abortion but must delay the procedure while seeking private funds to pay for

it; and

Whereas

freedom of choice in the issue of abortion is directly related to the First Amendment’s

guarantee of religious freedom,

Therefore be it resolved that:

1. The Central Conference of American Rabbis call upon the Congress to defeat the

Hyde Amendment this year; and

2. The Central Conference of American Rabbis support the Fazio-Green legislation which

would eliminate such restrictions in the authorization for all federal governmental

programs.

The following resolutions were referred to the Executive Board, and adopted by the

Board on June 21, 1984: