Hello and Shalom!
Welcome to Jackson’s Row’s first blog entry. We’re glad you’re here.
The JR blog is a channel of communication between the
synagogue and its members. Expect to
read messages from Rabbi Silverman, news of forthcoming events, thoughts from
synagogue members, calls to action and much more. Please email srahampd@gmail.com if you would like to
contribute an article or photos. And
keep coming back – we will be posting here very regularly indeed.
...
The Rabbi had these words to say on the topic of mitochondrial donation in a recent sermon ..
“Honour your father and your
mother” is the pivotal point of the Ten Commandments. This week, the House of
Lords will vote on a bill, which if passed, will make Britain the first country
in which it is possible for a person to be born of 3 parents.
The
aim is to legalise mitochondrial replacement techniques to be used in women who
carry mitochondrial disease. Mitochondria
are components of the cells that make up every part of our bodies. The mitochondrial DNA is inherited solely from
one’s mother - the father does not contribute any. They are often referred to
as the powerhouses of the cells. They generate the energy that our cells need
to do their jobs, like the energy in a battery. If they are defective you are
in trouble, although I believe you can be a carrier without suffering the
effects of the defective DNA yourself.
1 in 200 babies are born with mitochondrial disease and their lives can be tragically cut short. Faulty mitochondria have been linked to a number of common diseases: Diabetes, Alzheimers, liver disease, heart disease, cancer, epilepsy, brain disorders, autism…. There is no cure available.
But
thanks to research done in Newcastle it is now possible for a woman with
mitochondrial disease to produce children free of it by having her
diseased cell-components replaced with healthy ones from a donor, creating a
healthy embryo.
If
given the go-ahead, the procedure would avoid children being born with serious
diseases due to mutations in mitochondrial DNA.
What
are the Jewish responses? The answer to
that question could be crucial, given the strong influence of the Jewish voice
now in the House of Lords. People
like Lord Winston, Lord Sacks, Baroness Ruth Deech and Baroness Rabbi Julia Neuberger.
First
and foremost we have the principle of pikkuach nefesh, saving life.
This
overrides any religious prohibition, except for three, two of them in
the 10 Commandments -idolatry and murder and the third is sexual immorality.
Given the choice: give up your life rather than break any of those three.
Otherwise
you must set aside Jewish law to save life. It is based on a verse in
the Torah : These are the commandments; a person shall live by them -Chai bahem,
it says, and the Talmud comments – live by them, and not die through keeping them. The aim of the new bill is saving life,
therefore Jews should be in favour.
Jewish
theology does not share the Christian concept of the soul entering the ovum at
conception. Any alteration of the embryo, or even destruction of embryos would
not be an issue for us.
What
we don’t have is opposition to it on grounds of playing God. Dangers,
unforeseen consequences, are another matter and the jury is still out on that. This
side of the ethical debate is part of a much wider discussion involving genetic
modification, GM foods, and wider still, interfering with nature in general.
The
overarching concept here is that we are
co-partners with God in the work of
creation. When any child is born, say
our sages, 3 are involved: mother, father and God. And in the Talmud we have
the boldest statement of all:
“Greater
are the works of the righteous than the creation of the world. – Rashi’s comment is that
the works of the righteous are the hands of God in this world.
Every
kind of life –saving and life-enhancing
activity, from the breathtaking
advances in medical science, to our
ordinary everyday acts of help and tzedakah, giving, especially for medical research, can serve the highest sacred purposes.
...
PURIM – what not to wear
Anything sensible, really.
And yet we put a lot of thought into our fancy dress,
especially if we have to kit out kids.
The shortest lasting fancy dress outfit I even devised was the lollipop
lady, when I stuck lollipops to a yellow raincoat and sent my daughter to Habo
nursery... You can guess the rest. My
finest moment was dressing up my other daughter as Blackadder – in black from
head to toe, holding a calculator.
Result!
This year, princesses are back in vogue, thanks to Frozen
and the general Disneyfication of children’s culture. Children seem to want to live the dream when
they dress up – as princesses, superheroes and the like. Grown-ups use fancy dress to just look silly
and be kids again – one wonders what the Rabbi’s get-up will be this year? Purim 2015 is very close to Comic Relief,
when we’re all being encouraged to paint our faces, so perhaps you can try out
a design at synagogue (just don’t travel here by tram!)
We have one Purim service – at
6.30pm on Wednesday March 4th. You'll be able to hear the Megillah and dress up however you like.
Question for the Rabbi – is Peppa Pig kosher?
SA
