Parochial altruism: A religion-sensitive analysis of the israeli surrogacy and egg donation legislation

Abstract

The bioethical debate regarding women’s motivations for egg-donation and surrogacy generally contrasts commercialism and altruism. Based on literature review, this chapter examines the debate using a religion-sensitive analysis of the Israeli surrogacy and egg-donation legislation. Focusing on the Jewish orthodoxy’s stance informed by the Jewish law, the analysis indicates a connection between the legislation’s restrictions and rabbinic concerns regarding illegitimacy, incent, religious identity and family integrity. The legal restrictions further represent mechanisms of socio-political power relations, highlighting categories of religiosity, religious affiliation and nationality. Those are further discussed in the context of the prioritisation of ‘traditional’ family models over ‘secular’ ones and regional power relations. I conclude by discussing the concept of parochialism and its relevance for understanding underlying motivations connected to predetermined religion-related collectivities.