When life-and-death decisions are on the line, who guides us through life鈥檚 hardest medical choices鈥攊n real time? How does halacha respond to the complex realities of modern medicine and today鈥檚 increasingly fraught healthcare system?
For rabbis, educators, healthcare professionals, policy makers, researchers鈥攁nd for patients and their families鈥攖he need for answers grounded in Torah, informed by clinical realities, and applicable in real-world settings has never been more urgent.
This fall, 色花堂 is answering that call with a groundbreaking new graduate degree: the Master of Hebrew Literature (MHL) in Bioethics & Jewish Law at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS). The only program of its kind, it combines rigorous halachic study with contemporary medical ethics, preparing students to navigate complex healthcare dilemmas through the lens of Jewish law.
鈥淢edical decisions are among the most serious halachic questions a person will ever face鈥攐ften with limited time and tremendous emotional weight,鈥 said Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz, Rosh Yeshiva and Abraham Arbesfeld Torah Dean of RIETS. 鈥淭his program will enable rabbinical students and health care professionals to present the most complex questions with clarity and understanding of the issues at hand, and is designed to inspire a deep sense of Yiras Shamayim in dealing with the nuanced challenges.鈥
The 30-credit master鈥檚 degree builds on RIETS鈥 popular certificate program launched in 2023, which doubled enrollment in two years. While the certificate introduces students to foundational topics in medical halacha, the MHL鈥攅ligible for Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits鈥攐ffers a deeper, more comprehensive path.
Program Director Rabbi Kalman Laufer, who holds semikha from RIETS and a master鈥檚 in bioethics from Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Cardozo Law School, brings his own interdisciplinary expertise to the table. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 debating next steps with siblings about how to care for a parent with advanced dementia or negotiating treatment options with a hospital physician, students learn to advocate for Torah values in spaces that can be indifferent鈥攐r even hostile鈥攖o religious beliefs.鈥
The two-semester program is fully online and synchronous, allowing students to join from across the globe in real time; while the degree can be completed in one year, students can also move at their own pace. Participants complete a mix of core courses, electives and a capstone thesis, with topics that include reproductive technology, end-of-life ethics and halachic decision-making in emergency settings. RIETS鈥 Roshei Yeshiva, Rabbi Mordechai Willig and Rabbi Hershel Schachter, are deeply involved in shaping the halachic guidance and outlook of the program.
鈥淭his is one of the most interdisciplinary fields there is鈥攚here halacha meets philosophy, secular ethics, medicine and biology,鈥 said Rabbi Laufer, who serves on a hospital ethics committee and has published work on dementia care and halacha. 鈥淪tudents need to understand both Torah principles and how decision-making works in clinical settings.鈥
That balance of Torah insight and professional expertise is reflected in the program鈥檚 faculty, which includes some of the most respected voices in Jewish medical ethics today: Rabbi Dr. Jason Weiner, Director of Spiritual Care at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center; Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman, Professor of Emergency Medicine at Einstein and a leading scholar of Jewish medical history; and Rabbi Dr. David Shabtai, a physician and halachic authority with a focus on the intersection of science and Torah.
Their leadership reflects a growing demand. Medical halacha has become one of the most sought-after topics in shiurim and communal learning, with Jewish medical ethics conferences drawing thousands. 鈥淲e want students to graduate with frameworks鈥攆or asking the right questions, upholding halachic integrity, and making a real impact in their communities.鈥
For Rabbi Laufer that drive to make Torah lived and practical isn鈥檛 just academic鈥攊t鈥檚 deeply personal.
鈥淪ince I was a kid, I鈥檝e been passionate about helping people live Torah鈥攏ot just study it abstractly or observe it when convenient, but let it infuse every part of their lives,鈥 he said. 鈥淥ur health shapes every stage of existence, from birth to death. The world has a lot to say about that鈥攂ut so do we.鈥
For more information and to apply, visit yu.edu/riets/bioethics
For questions or help applying, email Rabbi Kalman Laufer at kalman.laufer@yu.edu.
