RAA, RCA, and NCYI Join Forces to Arm Rabbis, Rebbetzins, Chaplains, and Other Professionals with Halachic Firepower Against Assisted Suicide Legislation
In a landmark display of communal strength, the Rabbinical Alliance of America (RAA/Igud HaRabbonim), the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA), and the National Council of Young Israel (NCYI), in conjunction with the Orthodox Jewish Healthcare Chaplains’ Listserv, convened a powerful symposium titled, “Medical Aid in Dying / Physician Assisted Suicide: A Halachic Perspective.”
Hosted by Touro University on Monday, October 27, 2025 (5 Cheshvan, 5786), this event marked a pivotal moment in the RAA’s continuing education initiative. Designed for a diverse audience of Rabbis, Rebbetzins, Chaplains, and other professionals, the conference went beyond a simple review of the law, adding substantive “meat” to the ethical and Halachic discourse surrounding the proposed New York State Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) Act.
Opening with Prayer and Purpose: The conference opened with a solemn recitation of Tehillim (Psalms) for Shalom al Yisrael (Peace upon Israel) led by Rabbi Doniel Kramer, Administrator for the Orthodox Jewish Healthcare Chaplains’ Listserv. His invocation set a tone of gravity and spiritual unity for the proceedings.
Enhancing the Rabbinate: Addressing the Crisis of Conscience The symposium addressed the agonizing “conscience crisis” facing people of faith in the medical field. As legislation threatens to redefine the physician’s role from healer to facilitator of death, the program highlighted the profound moral injury risks for healthcare providers and the complex theological dilemmas that arise when secular statutes collide with eternal Torah values.
A Message of Unity from Jerusalem: The Honorable Judge Mendy Mirocznik, Executive Vice-President of the RAA, delivered a stirring video address from the Western Wall (Kotel HaMaaravi) in Jerusalem. Speaking from the site of his son Levi Isaac Mirocznik’s Bar Mitzvah celebration, Judge Mirocznik drew a powerful parallel between the holy site and the conference’s mission.
“It is with a full heart that I send greetings from the Kotel, the stones that have heard the prayers of our people for millennia,” stated Judge Mirocznik. “While I regret that I cannot be with you in person due to the celebration of my son Levi Isaac’s Bar Mitzvah, it is fitting that I address you from this site, which is the ultimate symbol of Jewish unity. This conference mirrors that spirit. The RAA, RCA, and National Council have united nearly all segments of Orthodox Jewry to address one of the most pressing issues of our time.”
Judge Mirocznik continued, acknowledging the vital partnership with the host institution:
“I must extend my deepest gratitude to Touro University and specifically to Dean Robert Goldschmidt for their unwavering partnership and hospitality. Touro continues to be a bastion of higher education that respects and elevates our values. This gathering is a testament that when we stand together, whether at the Kotel or in a lecture hall in Brooklyn, we strengthen the fabric of Klal Yisrael.”
Expert Analysis: Legal, Medical, and Halachic Dimensions The conference featured a panel of distinguished experts who dissected the nuances of the proposed law and its Halachic ramifications. The program was notably enhanced by a special presentation from Israel by the renowned Rabbi Avraham Steinberg, MD, with whom panelist Rabbi Dr. Jason Weiner frequently confers.
- Rabbi Dr. Jason Weiner, BCC (Cedars-Sinai, Los Angeles) drew upon a decade of experience in California, where MAID is legal. He explored the philosophical and religious dimensions of opposing MAID while functioning within a secular system. Rabbi Weiner shared strategies for observant professionals to maintain their integrity, offering concrete Halachic guidance and deep inspiration drawn from his collaboration with Rabbi Steinberg, MD regarding complex post-mortem questions and the delicate balance of providing comfort without validating prohibited acts.
- Rabbi Richard Weiss, MD (Stern College for Women / Young Israel of Hillcrest) provided a critical analysis of the “NY State Medical Aid In Dying Act.” He exposed the dangers hidden within the legislation, specifically the lack of mandatory psychological evaluations. Theologically, he distinguished between the permissible passive withholding of treatment in appropriate situations and the strictly prohibited active termination of life through self-administered medication.
- Rabbi Dr. Yosef Sokol (Touro University) addressed the psychological underpinnings of the desire for death. He argued that the request for MAID is often a cry for help stemming from a loss of autonomy and dignity (“existential suffering”). By presenting evidence-based therapies like Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy, Dr. Sokol demonstrated that the Jewish imperative is to restore a patient’s sense of purpose, thereby honoring the sanctity of their remaining time.
Leadership and Visionary Partnerships: The conference was co-chaired by Rabbi Yehuda (Leonard) Blank, MS, BCC, Vice President of Professional Development and External Affairs for the RAA, and Rabbi Simcha Silverman, Director of Chaplaincy Services at Lenox Hill Hospital.
Dr. Avery Horowitz, Dean of Advisement and Counseling at Touro University, hailed the success of the event and the collaboration between the institution and the rabbinate.
“We are incredibly pleased with the outcome of this important conference,” said Dean Horowitz. “Rabbi Yehuda Blank is a true visionary, and we thank him and the Rabbinical Alliance of America for their invaluable partnership. It is a privilege to host such a high-caliber professional program that addresses the most complex issues facing our community with such depth and sensitivity.”
A special debt of gratitude is owed to Rabbi Blank, who served as the driving force behind this event. He tirelessly organized and coordinated every aspect of the symposium, collaborating closely with all participating organizations and presenters to ensure the success of the gathering.
The RAA also extends a special thank you to Mr. Joshua Zilberberg, Academic Advisor, Advisement and Counseling at Lander University of Arts and Sciences, for his invaluable assistance.
“Mr. Zilberberg was instrumental in seeing this program from inception to fruition,” stated Rabbi Blank. “It truly was a pleasure working with him to make this reality.”
For additional information on this conference as well as previous and future presentations, please contact Rabbi Blank.
Below is the video for the Halachic Medical Suicide Conference, October 27, 2025
You must be logged in to post a comment.