Israeli Anti-Abortion Group Linked To Suicide Pact Tragedy

Efrat activists allegedly so traumatized a young girl about to have an abortion that she called off the procedure. Instead, just a few days later, now emotionally unstable, she and her boyfriend tried to commit suicide. To stop it, police had to shoot and kill him as she stood next to him.

An Efrat banner. The text reads: "Eventually, birth will determine our existence as Jewish state.

Ha'aretz reports:

…[L]ast week, abortion rights were thrust into the limelight by a tragedy. A teenage boy, 18-year-old Raz Atias, was killed in a standoff with police who were trying to prevent him and his pregnant girlfriend from committing suicide. Police had found Atias and his girlfriend outside of Jerusalem, with Atias holding a gun to his girlfriend's head and threatening to kill her and then himself.

The details of the incident are still not entirely clear, but the girlfriend’s sister reported that members of the Israeli anti-abortion organization Efrat had visited the pregnant teenager in the hospital to “brainwash” her against having an abortion, which led to significant emotional turmoil for the young couple.

The organization denied taking such action. “Absolute nonsense,” Efrat chairman Dr. Eli Schussheim told Haaretz this week.…

Despite Schussheim's claim, there are eyewitnesses who have seen Efrat activists do exactly what Schussheim denies.

And it seems in this case, Efrat's actions killed.

Note: Many haredim believe Israel has very liberal abortion laws. The truth, however, is that it does not:

A pregnant woman requesting termination of her pregnancy must appear before a three-person committee comprising two doctors and a social worker and explain why she falls into one of four categories. She is under the age of 18 or over the age of 40; she became pregnant either through rape or incest, or outside of wedlock; the pregnancy could put her physical or mental health at risk; or the fetus could have a defect.

This is more restrictive than several European countries.

Comments

[Yochanan Lavie]

What a tragedy. Anti-abortion folks don't seem to mind post-natal abortion.

[זבה גדולה]

Glad the irresponsible murderer boyfriend is dead!!

kudois to the police

[dlz]

Please - is there any evidence that they did any more than try to convince her? Is expressing any opinion forbidden because some fool may do something stupid because of it?Give me a break!

[meyerp]

I noticed that the last few mailings I received from Efrat had pictures of baby boys ONLY in its photomontage of about 30 babies. Apparently, even baby girls are not tznius enough. That made me think twice over supporting this organization, even though in theory I support efforts to financially and emotionally enable women to have more children if that is what they want.

[Seraphya]

It is amazing that these groups are called by some "pro-life"

[SkepticalYid]

Their tactics are abhorrent. It's important to bear in mind that Israel does have close to 20,000 abortions a year. It's been argued that many of those pregnancies are terminated because the parents are too poor to afford more children. If that's the case, and if those parents would prefer to have more children, perhaps it's worth considering helping them afford the additional financial burden. WIth all the talk about demographic challenges when comparing Arab and Jewish birthrates, it's only logical to facilitate more Jewish births.

[Bassy the Haredi Slayer]

I noticed that the last few mailings I received from Efrat had pictures of baby boys ONLY in its photomontage of about 30 babies.

If you go to their web site http://www.friendsofefrat.org/

http://www.friendsofefrat.org/

You will see photos of baby girls, toddler girls, and even adult women.

In practice, most requests for abortion are granted, and leniency is shown especially under the clause for emotional or psychological damage to the pregnant woman. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics report from 2004, 19,500 legal abortions were performed in Israel in 2003, while 200 requests for abortion were denied. Most abortions were authorized because the woman was unmarried (42%), because of illegal circumstances (11%), health risks to the woman (about 20%), age of the woman (11%) and fetal birth defects (about 17%).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_Israel

[A Yid]

Another example of deception by omission. FailedMesssiah states quoting from the Haaretz article: "Note: Many haredim believe Israel has very liberal abortion laws. The truth, however, is that it does not:
"
A pregnant woman requesting termination of her pregnancy must appear before a three-person committee comprising two doctors and a social worker and explain why she falls into one of four categories. She is under the age of 18 or over the age of 40; she became pregnant either through rape or incest, or outside of wedlock; the pregnancy could put her physical or mental health at risk; or the fetus could have a defect."

This is more restrictive than several European countries.

yet he omits the other part of the article :

About 98 percent of all requests for abortions are approved, and in general, unmarried women have no problem getting an abortion in Israel. The number of legal abortions has remained steady for years, at around 20,000 a year. A similar number are believed to take place every year privately, without the approval of committees.

So the bottom line is it is not hard to have an abortion in Israel and there are close to 50,000 abortions there per year.

PS. By the way Shmaryah CRIB-Efrat organization is responsible for additional 20,000 Jewish children being born over the years it has been in operation: http://www.friendsofefrat.org/. What about you?

[Bassy the Haredi Slayer]

Ynet has more about the story

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4294647,00.html

After teen's tragic death, questions remain

[Maskil]

A Yid is kinda right. Israel also does not prosecute "illegal abortions," which are very clinical and safe. In that sense Shmarya is right, that Haredim believe that Israel is very liberal in the area of abortions. The law is pretty good, and should not be changed. But I have to wonder about the roughly 400+ women (the 2%) whose abortion requests are denied by the panel. Why is there not one journalistic article about them?

[Forty Eighter]

It is a well known fact that abortions are very accesible in Israel. In the rare chance that you are denied by the commitee, you can get a clean safe abortion under the table for a slightly higher fee. Worse case scenario, you fly to switzerland and get one no questions asked. Efrat has never been known to use scare tactics or violence. The have preserved a very good reputation for many years. It appears that this kid was dealing with some emotional trauma and might have turned to Efrat for help along the way. It ended tragically, but I hardly see how Efrat can be blamed.

[Shmarya]

…So the bottom line is it is not hard to have an abortion in Israel and there are close to 50,000 abortions there per year.

PS. By the way Shmaryah CRIB-Efrat organization is responsible for additional 20,000 Jewish children being born over the years it has been in operation: http://www.friendsofefrat.org/. What about you?

Posted by: A Yid | October 28, 2012 at 11:02 AM

Idiot.

In most of western Europe and in America, no committee evaluates cases. If a woman wants an abortion for whatever reason, she can have one. (The only places in the US where this isn't true is where illegal violence and threats of violence, combined with what will probably be ruled to be illegal restriction of government funds by the states involved, cause doctors to flee.)

BTW, significant number of Israeli abortions are done on haredi girls under the incest provision. You could drop the rate of abortions noticeably by cutting down on your haredi child sexual abuse and incest problem.

(In fact, asshole, there's a big Crown Heights case right now of forced abortions that I'm about to post on.)

Moron.

[Alter Kocker]

Posted by: זבה גדולה | October 28, 2012 at 09:31 AM

May you and your "Pro-Life" buddies die lingering cancer ridden deaths where you pray for the end but it just never comes. Where the medication stops working and you spend hours screaming for relief but the torture never ceases.

This is the price you should pay for making a blastopore into a life and pushing two innocents over the edge. I hope as they lower you into the ground your nearest and dearest loved ones defecate into your coffin so that your eternity is spent with feces as that is what you are!!!!!

[Eli, what me messiah?]

This is a terribly sad story. You have to hope that Efrat will learn a lesson. I recall stories from my grandmother's generation of girls and young women preparing herbal poisons to induce miscarriages so they would avoid being accused of having an abortion, with serious illness and death an occasional consequence.

If they show up trying to shame young girls into delivering an unwanted child, what else do they expect??

[Maskil]

Worse case scenario, you fly to switzerland and get one no questions asked.

I know you meant "worst case...." Listen, if it has to come to that then it's NOT okay. Only the rich and super-rich can leave the country for abortions. Abortions have to be accessible to all equally. The current law is descent enough while illegal abortions in proper clinical environs are not prosecuted at all. It's working, and any change would be for the worse. But if it is so bad that someone needs to leave the country to get an abortion then there is a serious problem. Also, this is assuming that the 2% just get illegal abortions (or what? Are they just resigned to the decision of the council, or are they persuaded against abortions?). What exactly happens to the 2%?

Finally: Why does everyone always talk about abortions from rape AND incest? If the incest was consensual and there are no risks of defects is that any different than your run-of-the-mill "I'm a lazy cunt & don't want to raise a priviledged white kid" abortion? Or is this about incest not invovling consenting adults? If the latter, why is it distinguished in any way from "rape"? Because it's not "legitimate rape"? WTF?

[S M L]

"...Finally: Why does everyone always talk about abortions from rape AND incest? If the incest was consensual and there are no risks of defects is that any different than your run-of-the-mill "I'm a lazy cunt & don't want to raise a priviledged white kid" abortion? Or is this about incest not invovling consenting adults? If the latter, why is it distinguished in any way from "rape"? Because it's not "legitimate rape"? WTF?...

Hm. Let's analyze this. The excess risk of genetic defects arising out of parent-child or sibling incest as compared to the general population is about 31.4% for death and severe defect;
6.8% to 11.2% for significant birth defects (extrapolated from first-cousin data). That's across the board. That's in excess of the risk to the general population. "No risks of defects" - afraid not. I doubt much incest takes place between consenting adults and is truly consensual. It often involves statutory rape or actual rape. As for the rest of your comment: it's amazing how much prejudice, ignorance and misogyny you're able to give voice to in just one sentence.

Wash your brain out with soap and reboot it and try again.

[Jeff]

Lately on this blog there has been an unfortunate proliferation of the use of a certain word referencing a portion of a woman's reproductive anatomy.

BTW, one of the definitions of "maskil" is "enlightened man".

[meyerp]

Bassy the Haredi Slayer,

I DO support the concept of an organization like Efrat, so that more Jewish babies can be born to those who want them and they can receive support for it. Yes, the website may have pictures of boys and girls, but why do the mailings have only boys? Perhaps because they are directed at homes that don't use internet?

[Maskil]

I doubt much incest takes place between consenting adults and is truly consensual. It often involves statutory rape or actual rape.

And again, I'm stunned at the use of the term "rape OR incest," as if the second was between consenting adults who can choose to have tests done just like a couple where both partners are carriers of Tay Sachs, and have the RIGHT TO CHOOSE when and whether to get pregnant and have a child.

As for the rest of your comment: it's amazing how much prejudice, ignorance and misogyny you're able to give voice to in just one sentence.

It's a social commentary on the common perception of the factors in the choice to have an abortion or not.

Posted by: Jeff | October 28, 2012 at 06:07 PM

No, it doesn't mean enlightened. That is an interperative translation. Even if it meant that, it would clearly be used ironically. But I should stick to vagina, pussy, vulva, snatch, fuck-hole, crack, beaver, twat and minge as these words so much more eloquently describe society's perception of the lazy slut who can't keep a calendar, has unprotected sex, doesn't bother with the morning after pill, doesn't get the abortion pill and for no reason whatsoever decides that she'd just not like to have a perfectly healthy white baby this year who will grow up with all the priviledges a good, wholesome white family can provide so she casually goes in every other month to get vagecumed.

[SML]

"....she casually goes in every other month to get vagecumed....."

Words fail me. Apparently they fail you too.

[Bassy the Haredi Slayer]

in most of western Europe and in America, no committee evaluates cases. If a woman wants an abortion for whatever reason, she can have one.

In most European countries abortion has to be approved by at least two health providers or one judge (basically all of them require approval after the 12th week/first trimester)

UK - Subject to the provisions of this section, a person shall not be guilty of an offence under the law relating to abortion when a pregnancy is terminated by a registered medical practitioner if two registered medical practitioners are of the opinion, formed in good faith -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_the_United_Kingdom

Finland - Under most circumstances, the approval of two physicians is deemed necessary to approve an abortion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_Finland

[Shmarya]

Posted by: Bassy the Haredi Slayer | October 28, 2012 at 07:59 PM

Please.

The same selective BS cut and paste and citation jobs you always do.

Spain:
In Title II, Articles 13 and 14, the decriminalization of the practice of abortion during the first 14 weeks of pregnancy is specified. During this time, the woman can take a free and informed decision on the termination of her pregnancy. There will be no third party intervention in the decision.

Article 15 describes that the term of the possibility of abortion increases up to 22 weeks in cases of "serious risks to life or health of the mother or fetus." From the twenty-second week, pregnancy may be interrupted only on two assumptions: that "fetal anomalies incompatible with life are detected" or that "an extremely serious and incurable disease is detected within the fetus at the time of diagnosis and is confirmed by a clinical committee."That took me all of 1 minute to find.

And even what you cite supports what I wrote, and that would have been clear if you had not dishonestly truncated the quote on English law, which continues to say that a) that the pregnancy has not exceeded its twenty-fourth week and that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated, of injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman or any existing children of her family; or
(b) that the termination of the pregnancy is necessary to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of the pregnant woman; or
(c) that the continuance of the pregnancy would involve risk to the life of the pregnant woman, greater than if the pregnancy were terminated
(d) that there is a substantial risk that if the child were born it would suffer from such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped.[1]In other words, as long as two doctors say the abortion is necessary for any of those reasons, it's legal.

Israel has a panel of three professionals.

So the UK's law is either a bit less restrictive than Israel's or about the same as Israel's – either of which disproves the notion that Israel is far more liberal on this issue than European countries.

You really have to stop your BS.

[why not?]

perhaps it should exist an organization linking jewish women who want to abort and couples/single persons who want to adopt... if the woman is aborting only for financial reasons and don't mind in carrying a pregnancy... just a thought.

[Jake]

anybody who has lived in israel knows that abortions are basically on demand.
the committe is a rubber stamp.

haarezt putting a charedei spin on this story is just yellow journalism.

[Bassy the Haredi Slayer]

– either of which disproves the notion that Israel is far more liberal on this issue than European countries.

You really have to stop your BS.

I did not say that Israel is far more liberal on this issue than European countries, but in a way it is:

Spain (which you brought it up) only decriminalized abortion in 201, Israel legalized abortion in the 70's. Spain requires three waiting days, Israel does not.

In ALL European countries abortion is highly restricted after the first trimester, Israeli does not have this distinction, there is one committee the woman goes if she is before the 23th week and another committee after the 23th week. The only difference between the committees is the first one is in the hospital and the other one is in another location.

Go Giants !

[soso]

"A similar number are believed to take place every year privately, without the approval of committees."
If that is true, it would be a sign that the rules are to restrictive. If the legislation was well adapted, all the abortions should be performed legally.

[Maskil]

Posted by: soso | October 29, 2012 at 03:57 AM

No, it means the well-to-do don't do a walk of shame in front of a panel, and just bypass it altogether.

[No_Light]

If the incest was consensual and there are no risks of defects is that any different than your run-of-the-mill "I'm a lazy cunt & don't want to raise a priviledged white kid" abortion

You off your meds again, you misogynist piece of shit?

Yeah, promote incestuous pregnancies in an already consanguinous population, that'll turn out fucking fabulously. Here's the deal - the stats for congenital defects, illnesses, and intellectual disorders (which can't be tested for in utero, as we can see by your very existence) are for the general population of the world.

Closed communities, with ever-decreasing gene pools that are more like cesspools, are a different thing altogether. Ever spoken to a social worker or early intervention worker that has haredim and Hassidim in their jurisdiction? Genetic testing picks up the obvious stuff like TS, and Trisomy 13, but not much else.

Here in the UK the frumbags, Pakistani Muslims, Plymouth Brethren, and a couple of other groups, are heading the way of the Hapsburgs.

And, it's no good the likes of Gur or Satmar importing Israeli spouses either, because they're still interrelated due to the rabid boundaries between the sects.

Stamford Hill for example, where children are 80% more likely to live in poverty, where domestic abuse (and the mental health issues stemming from it) is widespread, and the average family is 3x the British average. All of those are classic stressors, likely to produce children who are intellectually and socially damaged.

Then, add into our inbred frumbag family, one of the worst possible ingredients for any family (however happy they are), a baby with special needs. Consanguinity's most common "blessings" are all things that cannot be tested for prior to birth, like intellectual disabilities, blindness, deafness, and epilepsy. All things which are responsible for shredding happy, well-off, stable families into pieces. Yaakov and Malky? They don't stand a chance. But you can bet it'll never be pinned on Yaakov, will it?

Don't forget the kids in Israel suing for "wrongful birth" due to catastrophic genetic defects.

Oh yeah, your plan to create hordes of inbred Haredi babies will make a great future for Israel!

Bassy - the "two signatures" thing here in the UK is a formality, the woman doesn't actually see the two doctors..

She goes to her GP or a clinic, sees someone and explains that she wants an abortion.

If her GP has seen her, they refer her for one at the local hospital, and gets a colleague to sign the form later.

The procedure is the same in clinics. She'll go in, speak to someone, who then quickly nips out to ask the duty doctor at the clinic to sign their agreement.

The woman does not go before a panel, or have to make her request on different days. Also, there are no changes in the request procedure up to twenty weeks. Past that time the procedure has to be done in an NHS hospital, not a clinic. So if the woman has gone to a clinic for advice, she'll be signed-off on at the clinic, then someone from the hospital will call and make an appointment with her.

[Maskil]

Posted by: No_Light | October 29, 2012 at 09:37 AM

So you believe in the woman's right to choose in the case of rape, but you advocate mandatory abortions in the case of incest?

Sweet. I ain't never heard such twisted liberal bullshit in all my life.

[Jeff]

Right. Anything you don't like is "liberal".

You're a misogynistic moron. You really have nothing of value to contribute.