Toronto rabbis spark backlash with burial ban over assisted dying

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/432656

An Orthodox rabbis’ council has barred funerals and restricted burial for Jews who die through physician-assisted death, triggering a fierce backlash from other rabbis and community leaders.

Under the policy, the council's rabbis will not participate in the funerals of patients who chose euthanasia and will generally refuse permission for such individuals to be buried in cemetery sections affiliated with Orthodox synagogues. The decision comes amid a significant increase in the use of medical assistance in dying in Canada. According to Canadian health data cited in the report, approximately 5,000 Ontario residents chose medical assistance in dying in 2023. Since Canada legalized the procedure roughly a decade ago, more than 75,000 people have chosen it, and assisted deaths now account for more than 5% of all deaths in the country.

The policy quickly drew criticism from other Jewish organizations. The Toronto Council of Rabbis, which includes 56 rabbis representing different Jewish denominations and movements, issued a response calling the Orthodox council's decision "surprising" and "too harsh." While the council said it does not support euthanasia from a Jewish legal perspective, it said its rabbis would continue to provide spiritual support to families, conduct funerals, and participate in shiva.