Join us online for a panel discussion exploring last month’s US Supreme Court shocking ruling on abortion access.
The United States Supreme Court June ruling in favour of Mississippi's ban on abortions after 15 weeks, effectively ended the constitutional right to abortion established in the 1973 landmark ruling of Roe v Wade. With bans now likely to come into effect in over half of US states, millions now find themselves without access to legal abortion.
A panel of experts including Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg (National Council of Jewish Women), Elizabeth Prochaska (Birthrights) and human-rights barrister Adam Wagner, will offer their analysis on the ruling and its impact on reproductive rights, healthcare, freedom of religion for Jews and other faith communities, both in the US and globally. Moderated by Rabbi Zahavit Shalev (New North London Synagogue).
Interested in learning more about the Supreme Court decision and its impact? Check out Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg on BBC R4’s Thought of the Day.
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg serves as Scholar in Residence at National Council of Jewish Women, and is the author of the award-winning author of eight books on Judaism and feminism, theology, sexuality, justice, parenting, and other topics. Her newest, ON REPENTANCE AND REPAIR: MAKING AMENDS IN AN UNAPOLOGETIC WORLD, applies Maimonides' Laws of Repentance to harm in the contemporary public square, to institutions, and to national policy, and will be out in September. She has been named by the Center for American Progress as a Faith Leader to Watch, by Newsweek as a rabbi to watch, and has been a Washington Post Sunday crossword clue (83 down).
Elizabeth Prochaska
Elizabeth Prochaska is a human rights lawyer with a particular interest in reproductive rights. She founded the NGO Birthrights in 2013 to promote and protect people’s rights during pregnancy and childbirth. Elizabeth is currently writing a book about the history of childbirth.
Adam Wagner
Adam Wagner is a barrister specialising in human rights at Doughty Street Chambers. He is also a Visiting Professor of Law at Goldsmiths University.