Ending Pregnancy

Close-up of a woman with closed eyes, holding her hands together near her face in thought or prayer.

Deciding to end a pregnancy is difficult. Regardless of the circumstances, it is a complex loss—one that needs to be acknowledged. Ritual can help us cope with—and make sense of—our emotional response to this arduous experience.

 

Latest Rituals

Bringing a sense of kedushah to the abortion operating table

holding hands hospital bed

A ceremony that a woman who has had an abortion can perform with a group of women. This ceremony uses the symbols of tashlich (casting out) and mikveh; the woman mourns the loss, renews herself, and attempts to bring closure to the abortion.

bowl of water with flowers floating in it

A ceremony that a pregnant woman or couple can perform with a close group of friends or family after the decision to have a therapeutic abortion has been made

A torn paper heart hanging on a string against a dark background.

A new psalm for a woman terminating her pregnancy

dark bedroom with dawn through window

Prayer to be recited when pregnancy must be ended therapeutically

hands holding apple blossom

The Reconstructionist Network

Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement

Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis

Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues

Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives

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The Reconstructionist Network