Israel is the world capital of in vitro fertilization, and according to the Today’s NY Times, it doesn’t matter if you are Jewish or not, straight or gay, secular or religious – the modern State of Israel want to help people have kids.  Talk about the triumph of life!

The first principle of Jewish life, if one can speak of such a thing, is to choose life itself (see Deuteronomy 30:19).  The fact that a people so which has so suffered death and destruction for so many centuries should choose to invest it’s energy and money in becoming a leader in creating new life is beyond inspiring – it is a reminder of why Israel and the Jewish people exist.

Neither Israel nor the Jewish people always live up to our most deeply held values – what nation or people does? – But there is no doubt that there is a direct connection between a tradition which for thousands of years celebrated life, and the dignity of all human life, translating into a modern state which makes it possible for people to have kids as easily as possible, without limitations connected to money, ethnicity or religion.

What would happen in America, I wonder, if all of the energy in the pro-life movement was similarly directed?  What if all of the time, money and energy spent on  fighting about abortion and trying to limit people’s access to them, even under the most horrific and life-threatening circumstances, the pro-life movement took a lesson from Israel? 

I know, the two issues are not identical, and for those who think that fetal life and human life are the same, helping people make babies is not the same as preventing abortions.  But with all that, it would be interesting to see what would happen to a movement that went from being seen as fighting against other people’s rights to serving people with a message that making babies is a sacred act and that all who want to, should be helped to do so.  Just a thought….