WHEREAS the Rabbinical Assembly passed a resolution "On Educating Conservative Jews Regarding Organ Donations" at its May 1996 convention; and
WHEREAS every day as many as 200 people in the United States join the list of those awaiting organ transplants, with a death occurring every three hours as a result of a severe organ shortage; and
WHEREAS Jews do not constitute a proportional share of organ donors, possibly due to the misapprehension that Judaism prohibits organ transplants; and
WHEREAS the Committee on Jewish Law and Standards has concluded that organ donation is not only permissible, but a mitzvah.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Rabbinical Assembly re-affirm its 1996 resolution calling for each Conservative synagogue to encourage organ donations among its members through an educational program and campaign, the goal of which is to have an increasing number of people sign organ donor cards and to inform family members of their desire to be organ donors.
Passed by the Rabbinical Assembly Plenum, March, 2000