Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Barbara Dobkin (MSW’67) Calls on Jewish Leaders to Support Reproductive & Abortion Rights
With the growing debate around abortion, human rights activists are concerned about an overturn of Roe v. Wade, which could make abortion illegal in many states around the U.S. In an op-ed for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, alum Barbara Dobkin (MSW’67) describes how she helped her friend get an abortion when she was a student, a time when underground abortion clinics took potentially dangerous steps to end pregnancies. As a philanthropist, Dobkin is actively involved in the Jewish community and encourages more Jewish leaders, especially men, to speak out for abortion rights.
Excerpt from “Jewish women are leaders on abortion rights. But they can’t do it alone.” by Barbara Dobkin, originally posted in Jewish Telegraphic Agency:
There are, no doubt, thousands of people in the Jewish community — rabbis and educators; donors and congregants; friends and neighbors — who have had abortions or will need them in the future. Their reasons may vary, but one thing remains true: Keeping abortion safe and legal reflects our most cherished Jewish values: pikuach nefesh (saving a life), briyut (health and safety), kavod (human dignity) and tzedek (justice).
So I call on every Jewish leader and institution — not just the ones run by and for women — to speak out boldly in defense of abortion access and safety. Our lives, our families, and our futures depend on it.”