“I believe life is sacred, whether it is abortion or the death penalty” - Tim Kaine. Abortion is one of the most talked about ethical dilemmas. It seems like everyone (and every faith) has a different opinion on the subject. Some people believe that abortion should be legalized, while others believe that abortion should not be legalized. Judaism supports “pro-choice” (meaning the mother can choose whether or not to have an abortion), but only under certain conditions. Judaism, unlike religions such as Christianity (which strictly prohibits abortion), believes that abortion can only be performed in extenuating circumstances. Judaism has many reasons why abortion should be legalized, but only in very specific situations. As the Mishnah says (Oholot 7.6): “If a woman has difficulties giving birth that endangers her life, the embryo inside her is dismembered, limb by limb, because her life takes precedence over her life once that its head (or its "largest part") has emerged. Essentially, this supports abortion, but it should not be taken out of context. Here are some circumstances in which Judaism allows, or even encourages, the mother to have an abortion. First, if the mother is ill and her life is in danger if she continues the pregnancy, she will have the right to abort. Second, if the mother suffers from psychiatric disorders, for example if she is suicidal, then the baby may be aborted. Third, if the baby was conceived as a result of rape and creates difficulties for women, then the baby can be aborted. Although Judaism believes these are all good reasons, the particular circumstance must be brought up before the Poskim (the rabbis who decide these ethical dilemmas based on Jewish law). It is up to the Poskim to decide whether... middle of paper ... Israel wants to help women terminate their pregnancies "for reasons ranging from emotional or mental threat caused by the pregnancy or not being married to the baby's father.”4 In Israel, women seeking an abortion must appear before a three-member committee to plead their case. In recent times, 98 percent of these women have been approved. Additionally, women under 20 or over 40 were also eligible for subsidized abortions, regardless of the reason. Today, Israel allocated 16 million shekels (nearly $5 million) to help with abortions, even without medical reasons. The Jewish religion remains consistent in its belief that abortion is acceptable in certain circumstances. All three sects agree that if the mother's life is in danger, physically or mentally, then she should have the right to abort..