Turn it and Turn it

Living and Dying with Dignity: Themes in Halakhah and Medical Decision-Making (1/4) with Rabbi Dr. Daniel Reifman

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Modern Medicine" 
Human dignity is a concept often invoked in contemporary medical ethics, especially in favor of patients’ right to choose the course of their treatment — or whether to continue treatment at all. This emphasis on patient autonomy has frequently put Jewish medical ethicists at odds with their secular counterparts, since halakhah significantly restricts an individual’s control over her body. Through a comparative analysis of secular and Jewish sources, we will consider how the concept of human dignity has developed over the past few decades, and whether there is a way to find common ground on issues like truth-telling to patients and end-of-life care.
Click here to view the accompanying source sheet. 
This audio was originally recorded on 12/01/2020 as part of Drisha's Fall Zman. 

Balancing Acts: Legal and Moral Perspectives on End-of-Life Decisions with Rabbi Dr. Daniel Reifman

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Modern Medicine" 
The decisions we make in caring for a dying patient are fraught with emotion. They are also the subject of intense debate among medical professionals and bioethicists, no less within the Jewish community than within society at large, and the tension between traditional Jewish and modern secular positions often complicates these decisions even further. The difference between modern and traditional perspectives on end-of-life care is often framed as the choice between honoring the patient’s autonomy vs. insisting on preserving every moment of life. Yet closer analysis reveals a more complex picture, as halakhists and bioethicists struggle to balance the needs of patients, caregivers and family members. Join us we take a fresh look at some of the key legal and moral issues in this important contemporary discussion.
Click here to view the accompanying source sheet. 
This audio was originally recorded on 07/12/2017 as part of Drisha's Summer programming. 

Death in a Medicalized Age: Halakhah, Ritual, and Ethics in Transition with Dr. Ari Schick

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Modern Medicine"
The manner in which we encounter death today has changed radically compared to past centuries, which has shifted the way in which death is discussed from the realm of the spiritual, concerned with the soul, to that of the technical, concerned with the functioning of the body. This recording is the second session of a five session course.
The audio was originally recorded on 07/14/2015 as part of Drisha's Summer Daytime Learning. 

Organ Transplants with Rabbi Dina Najman

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Modern Medicine" 
We will explore the halakhic debate over organ transplantation including desecration of the dead, definition of death, donor/recipient perspectives, and which organs are permissible.  These topics will also be examined in relation to current issues in bioethics.
This audio was originally recorded on 12/29/2004 as part of Drisha's Winter Week. 

Torat Chaim: Halakhic Perspectives on Fertility with Dr. Richard Grazi

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Modern Medicine" 
We will examine the ways in which new developments in reproductive medicine have been subject to halakhic analysis. Textual references will be used to highlight the underpinnings of different pesakei halakhah.
This audio was originally recorded on 12/29/2004 as part of Drisha's Winter Week. 

Human and Molecular Cloning: Ethical and Religious Dilemmas in a Brave New World with Dr. Feige Kaplan

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Modern Medicine" 
The worldwide dialogue about the ethics of cloning, stimulated by the report in 1997 of the successful cloning of a sheep, has led to both rational and serious discussion as well as panic and alarmist warnings of imminent disaster. Why does cloning engender such emotional reaction - and what does Judaism have to say about it?
Click here to view the accompanying source sheet. 
The audio was originally recorded on 12/28/2004 as part of Drisha's Winter Week. 
 

Why is This Gene Different from All other Genes? Genetics and Stem Cell Research in Jewish Law with Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Modern Medicine" 
From pre-implantation genetic diagnosis to prenatal testing to disease markers for cancer, what are the halakhic ramifications of genetic and stem cell research? Topics include designer babies, the status of the human embryo in halakhah, and the rabbinic response to the latest technological advances in this exciting field.
Click here to view the accompanying source sheet. 
This audio was originally recorded on 12/27/2004 as part of Drisha's Winter Week. 

Rabbinic Response to Scientific Discovery Throughout the Ages: Conflict or Consonance with Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman

This season of Turn it & Turn it is on the topic of: "Modern Medicine" 
Historical medical halakhah included fascinating foci, including smallpox, the medicinal use of mummies, the earliest anatomical dissections, and early theories in embryology. How does rabbinic literature conflict with our modern understanding of medicine, including the 8-month baby, spontaneous generation, and the tree-goos.
Click here to view the accompanying source sheet. 
This audio was originally recorded on 12/27/2004 as part of Drisha's Winter Week.