by Andrew Kelion
We were privileged to welcome Rabbi Dr Akiva Tatz to address us on the delicate topic of Euthanasia – the Jewish perspective.
Rabbi Tatz trained in medicine in Johannesburg, and practised in South Africa, the USA and Israel. Whilst in Jerusalem he combined medical practice with yeshiva study, and developed an interest in Jewish thought and medical ethics. He has written a number of books, and is a senior lecturer at the Jewish Learning Exchange in London where he has been based for more than 20 years. He is often called upon to champion the rights of Jewish patients and their relatives who find themselves at odds with their doctors and NHS Trusts.
Rabbi Tatz’s lecture explored the halachic approach to end-of-life issues. He is an insightful and captivating educator, speaking without notes and illustrating the halachic principles with examples of cases in which he has been personally involved. The Jewish (and Israeli) approach to end-of-life care emphasises the near absolute sanctity of life, which can sometimes conflict with the approach taken in many Western healthcare systems. Despite the sensitive nature of the subject matter he was engaging and often amusing.
Following his talk, Rabbi Tatz took questions from the audience before rushing off to deliver another lecture elsewhere! It is easy to see why he is in such demand.