Organ Donation: Jews Can Learn Something From Atheists

The Algemeiner | Eliyahu Federman

Recently while renewing my driver’s license, the DMV attendant looked surprised when I requested organ donor designation. She remarked how she thought being an organ donor is against the Jewish religion. I suppose myyarmulke (head covering) gave away the fact that I was Jewish, but this encounter did not surprise me given conversations I’ve had with many of my religious friends who will not become posthumous organ donors because they believe it would interfere with a religious duty to be buried intact.

Last week the NY Times reported that in response to a growing resistance by Haredi Jewish patients unwilling to consider donating organs but perfectly willing to accept organs from others, Israel has become the first country to implement a priority system:
Read more: http://www.algemeiner.com/2012/02/26/organ-donation-jews-can-learn-something-from-atheists/