Press Releases
June 26, 1997

The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America through its Institute for Public Affairs, welcomed today's decision by the Supreme Court upholding state laws that prohibit physician assisted suicide. The Institute for Public Affairs filed a brief with the Court asking it to uphold these laws out of a recognition for the value and sanctity of human life.

Nathan Diament, director of the Institute for Public Affairs, issued the following statement:

We welcome the Court's unanimous decision not to recognize a constitutionally protested right to die. We appreciate the fact that the Court accepted our argument that the legal traditions (including the Jewish tradition) that serve as the wellspring for American legal thought have never recognized a right to actively assist a person in taking his or her own life. This decision comes at a time when American society must, unfortunately, be reminded of the value and sanctity of every human life. The Orthodox Union will work to ensure that this decision is not undone by state and local legislatures in the coming years.