A rabbinical council representing dozens of Orthodox congregations in Toronto has issued an extraordinary letter to the Jewish community, taking a firm stance against medical assistance in dying (MAiD) and declaring it a severe violation of Jewish law.
The Toronto Vaad HaRabbanim's letter comes as the practice, which has been available to the general Canadian population for years, has begun appearing within the Jewish community itself. The rabbis note with concern that in 2023 alone, nearly 5,000 people in Ontario province died through this medical procedure.
"Utilizing this procedure constitutes an open violation of halacha, and one who dies in this manner is considered as one who has taken their own life knowingly," the rabbis state in their letter. They add that those involved face serious religious prohibitions: "One who performs this on patients is considered a murderer according to Jewish law, and even one who merely assists or facilitates is considered an accomplice to a transgression."
