Award Winning Newspaper - s-S^ilf^iNvV'^^
SERVING NEBRASKA AND IOWA SINCE 1920 Vol. LXIX No. 26 Omaha, Nabr.
17 Adar, S7S2 Friday, Fab. 21, 1992
Cosmetic surgery only legal sometimes, rabbi says
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By Tamar Kaufman Northern California Jeviah Bulletin Face lifts, tununy tucks, liposuction,- breast enlargements—as tll%wave of baby boomers crests into middle age, many are surfing into doctors' offices for serious bodywork. But not all procedul'es bring body-beautiful results, as the current spate of horror stories about silicon breast implants attests. What are the ethical implications of all this? And what can halachah, Jewish religious law, add to our understanding? Rabbi Mordechai Rindenow, senior lecturer of San Francisco's Institute for Jewish Medical Ethics and assistant dean of its parent institution, the Hebrew Academy, provided some answers at the.International Conference, oa Jewish Medical Ethics at the Miyakb Hotel in San Francisco recently! "The problem," Rindenow says of cosmetic surgery, "is that surgeons are only sanctioned to perform invasive procedures when it would either save a life or alleviate pain. "Pain, however, could encompass psychological
as well as physical discomfort—a fact recognized by halachah, according to the rabbi. But, he argues, you can't have carte blanche. Just because a person's suffering because they feel the aging process is catching up with them is no reason to put them at risk with a surgical procedure." The major risk with most surgery, he adds, is the general anesthesia, which can cause severe reactions. But what if the procedure is relatively minor and a local anesthetic is used? There is "a prohibition in the Torah against wounding or maiming,'' Rindenow replies. "A physician is not only permitted but at times commanded by the Torah to inflict a wound—for example, a scalpel cut during surgery—but only to improve the health of the individual." But some p^ychologica] suffering is severe. Accidents, disease and birth defects can result in serious deformities that, while not life-threatening, can cause extreme anguish. That, Rindenow maintains, is a different case.
Steven Rod named director of projects NEW YORK-JCC Assticiation executive vice president Arthur Rotman haa announced the appointment of Steven J. Rod to the new position of director of executive development projects, a position made possiole by a grant from the Mandel Associated Foundations, an Association of Foundatiooa MtabUshed by Jack and Lilyan Mandel. Joseph and Florence Mandel, and Morton L. and Barbara Mandel, all of Cleveland. The purpose of the grant of t7$0,000, over a threeyear pteiod—the single largeet grant in the JCC Aawxlatlon'a history to fund a program or service—is to increase the quantity and quality of individuals available to assume key executive poaitions in the Jewish Community Center fleld a
Mr. Rod aervad as executive director of the Onuiha Jewiah Community Cfnter from December 1980 through February 1986; and ii"i'«<xiiiivo director of la Jawiah Fadeiu,, 'ID
"A physical deformity that hinders a person's ability to be employed or from interacting socially or with a spouse—basically, from living a normal life—under those circumstances, the Torah sanctions cosmetic surgery as a corrective procedure," Rindenow says. "Halachah very often equates psychological pain and suffering to that of physical pain," he adds, noting that according to Jewish law, if someone is shamed "so the blood drains from his face," it is comparable to murder. But where does one draw the line? One person may feel humiliated by small breasts, for instance, while another may forgo reconstruction after a mastectomy. On that issue, Rindenow is adamant. "Psychologically blackmailing a woman that she needs to conform to the man's image of her is about the most clear-cut case of sexism there is," he contends. "Physicians have an ethical obligation to inform her there's really nothing wrong with her bqdy," he says. "If she's so distraught, and insists on having the procedure,
the doctor should refuse to perform it and should help her seek proper professional guidance." But that same procedure can also be "a mitzvah," Rindenow says, such as when' it is used after a mastectomy. "Helping a woman after a difficult and life-threatening ordeal come back to herself and feel better about herself is meritorious," he says. But it should not be forced; it is the woman's decision whether to follow one surgical proc^ure with another. "In halachah we deal with each case according to its own merits," he adds. "There might be an individual whose psychological suffering is so severe that he or she might ' be able to function better in society through a minor cosn\etic procedure such as rhinoplasty," commonly called a nose job. The overriding principle seems to be to balance riska with benefits but, Rindenow cautions, "when we attempt to alter our appearance in any way that is not ' sanctioned by halachah, we are saying that God's handiwork is nbt adequate for us."
Red Cross opens files on Nazis
By rioward Rosenberg WASHINGTON (JTA) -Records on 300,000 to 500.000 peojple kUled by the Nazis will ^oon become available for ^he ^st time through the American Red Cross and its international counterpart. The U.S. records, stored at the National Archives in Washington, were declassified in 1972. But it Steven Rod was not until recently that March 1986 through March' the American Red Cross became aware of their ex1988, The grant will enable the istence, said Ann Stingle, Association to build on its spokeswoman for the huexisting executive devel- manitarian agency. Researchers froih the opment training program, which traina assistant ex- U.S. Holocaust Memorial ecutive directors and other Museum alerted the Amermiddle management JCC ican Red Cross in late 1990 proftuionals in a 'Mriety to the records' existence. The American Red Cross of areas preparing them to become executives. It will has transferred an initial provide a mechanism for batch of microfilm, con' lion on identifying current Center taining H! Interadministrators who are 7,000 p< likely to become outatud- natHwal Tiauug bervicting executive directors Arolsen, Germany. The recordj includtt and then offering them the training Uwy need to max- death bonkfi. transport on vicimize their akiUa and to ad- lists an-' tims ul expori vance, in the field. Mr. Rod, who has been ments and euthana.''^ The rfx'"-'!" '"n be a^ JCC Aasociation's director ceeaedl i a trac(rnntlniiMl OB PagS 8) ing rw)u, „,^„ a local
Synagogues, JFS offer panel on interfaitli By Julie Frank, dealing with extended Jewish Family Life family, the undecided famEducation committee ily, the conversion decichairperson sion, the child's perspecJewish Family Service tive, and the view from and the three local syna- tradition. Local resources gogues will cosponsor an will be described and open panel discussion enti- offered to those interested. tled Raising a Child in an The sponsors hope to atInterfaith Family. tract a variety of families The program, which is free of charge, will take to share their personal explace Thursday at 7:30 periences, concerns and p.m. at the JCC Auditor- means of coping. Peu-ents, ium. Panel members will grandparents and extendbe Rabbi Paul Drazen, ed family members are enRabbi Mark Urkowitz, couraged to attend. Rabbi Aryeh Azriel, and Child,care will be proGlen Fineman, executive vided free pf charge for director of Jewish Family children ages thre6 months Service. to six years. Space is This presentation and a limited and advanced regquestion-and-answer ses- istration for child care is sion is intended to spark . required. Call Jewish Famdiscussion about a variety ily Service, 330-2024, by of issues faced by the in- Monday to make a reserterfaith family, including vation for child care.
Ethiopians walk out By Gil Sedan JERUSALEM (JTA)Decloring they were fed up with delays in finding them permanent housing, some 250 Ethidpian inunigrants walked out of an Eilat hotel serving as a temporary absorption center and Went on their own to a prefabricated housing site in Hulda, in central Israel.
The rebellion was clearly embarrassing to Jewish Agency officials, who were chastised by the olim. But the agency said it would "assist" the newcomers "for humanitarian reasons" and not require them to return to the hotel. The immigrants, who were joined by others.complained that whenever they were told they were about to be moved to permanent housing, some Jewish Agency official delayed the move.
They traveled by bus in Red Cross chapter in the stormy weather to reach United States, with a na- the site. tional Red Cross office in countries outside the United States, or by directly 1992 U jA/Federation Campaign: contacting' the German center at Arolsen. The forms can be obtained in the United States by calling 1800) 8489277. The Los Angeles-based Omaha Sinion Wiesenthal Center, ^»2,«i/)M2,5O0,00p which tracks down Nazi "^ 2,400,000 war criminals in order to 2300,000 bring them to justice, has 2,200,000 been clamoring for years 2,100,000 to gain access to the Red 2,000,000 Cross' archival holdings. 1,900,000 But the Red Cross has 1,800,000 refused such requests in 1,700,000 order to maintain political . 1,600,000 14:00,000 neutrality, a policy il 1,400,000 credits as having helped it 1300,000 acquire curtain archival 1,200,000 C'oriliiiiiiMv. material in the first place. 1,100,000 Diane Paul, program 1.000,000 iS74.4»SI manager at the American Rpd Crais' 17- month-old and War Vic Mig and Informatiun (.Center in Baltimore,
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