That course of action is certainly permissible, he added. If the twins are two separate organisms, he said, each could be considered a pursuer of the other, since each, in effect, would kill the other if they are not separated. Rabbi Charles Middleburgh of the Union of Liberal and Progressive Synagogues also supports the court's ruling. Because it is possible to save Jodie by separating her from her sister, Jewish tradition recommends that option, he said. The chief rabbi's spokesman on medical ethics, Rabbi Chaim Rapoport, explained why he disagreed with the parents' desire to let nature take its course.
Jewish law supports the life-saving operation.
While agreeing with the legal ruling, many rabbis expressed concern that the decision of the parents, who have not been named, was not upheld. But I am uneasy that the parents' wishes are being ignored. Freedman said there was a case to be made for respecting the parents' wishes. Following the appeals court's decision, the parents still have the option to appeal to the Law Lords, Britain's highest court. May not be reproduced without written permission.