Hello Everyone,
In the midst of the was against Hamas an important though tragic case was decided (at least for the moment) in a court in Rishon l’Tzion.
In the IVF facility at the Asuta hospital the fertilized egg of one woman was implanted mistakenly in the uterus of a second woman. The mistake was discovered before the baby was born. After the baby was born the woman who gave birth to the baby said that she was willing to raise her as her daughter and that the genetic mother of the child was not known. Later the genetic mother of the girl was discovered and a legal battle developed between these two unfortunate women. In December 2024 the court in Rishon l’Tzion ruled in favor of the genetic mother and she was given the baby.
This case offers us an opportunity to see how various Halachic authorities have ruled on questions arising in the field of reproductive medicine. We have three sessions to devote to this fascinating subject and I hope that we will all benefit from the discussion.