Jews and Genes

Elliot N. Dorff is rector and Sol and Anne Dorff Distinguished Service Professor of Philosophy at the American Jewish University in Los Angeles and past chair of the Society of Jewish Ethics. He is the author or editor of numerous award-winning books, including Matters of Life and Death: A Jewish Approach to Modern Medical Ethics (JPS, 1998).  Laurie Zoloth is a professor of religious studies and on the Jewish studies faculty at Weinberg College and is a professor of medical humanities and bioethics at the Feinberg School of Medicine, both at Northwestern University. She is the author or editor of six books, including The Ethics of Encounter: A Jewish Discussion of Social Justice. Mark S. Frankel is director of the Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights, and Law Program at the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

• Foreword by Mark S. Frankel    Introduction by Elliot N. Dorff and Laurie Zoloth    Part 1. Stem Cell Research1. Summary of the Science of Stem Cell Research    Elliot N. Dorff and Laurie Zoloth2. Applying Jewish Law to Stem Cell Research    Elliot N. Dorff3. Divine Representations and the Value of Embryos: God’s Image, God’s Name, and the Status of Human Nonpersons    Noam J. Zohar4. “Like Water”: Using Genesis to Formulate an Alternative Jewish Position on the Beginning of Life    Yosef Leibowitz5. Reasonable Magic: Stem Cell Research and Forbidden Knowledge    Laurie ZolothPart 2. Genetic Mapping and Identity6. Summary of the Science of Genetic Mapping and Identity    Elliot N. Dorff and Laurie Zoloth7. Folk Taxonomy, Prejudice, and the Human Genome    Judith S. Neulander8. What Is a Jew? The Meaning of Genetic Disease for Jewish Identity    Rebecca Alpert9. Yearning for the Long-Lost Home: The Lemba and the Jewish Narrative of Genetic Return    Laurie ZolothPart 3. Genetic Testing10. Summary of the Science of Genetic Testing    Elliot N. Dorff and Laurie Zoloth11. Genetic Testing in the Jewish Community    Paul Root Wolpe12. Jewish Genetic Decision Making and an Ethic of Care    Toby L. SchonfeldPart 4. Genetic Intervention13. Summary of the Science of Genetic Intervention    Elliot N. Dorff and Laurie Zoloth14. Some Jewish Thoughts on Genetic Enhancement    Shimon Glick15. Curing Disease and Enhancing Traits: A Philosophical (and Jewish) Perspective    Ronald M. Green16. Genetic Enhancement and the Image of God    Aaron L. Mackler17. “Blessed Is the One Who Is Good and Who Brings Forth Goodness”: A Jewish Theological Response to the Ethical Challenges of New Genetic Technologies    Louis E. Newman18. Jewish Reflections on Genetic Enhancement    Jeffrey H. Burack19. Mending the Code    Robert GibbsPart 5. The New Genetics and Public Policy20. Religious Traditions in a Postreligious World: Does Halakhah Have Insights for Nonbelievers?    John Lantos21. How the Unconscious Shapes Modern Genomic Science    Robert Pollack22. To Fix the World: Jewish Convictions Affecting Social Issues    Elliot N. DorffContributors    Index to Classical Sources    General Index

"As informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking, Jews and Genes: The Genetic Future in Contemporary Jewish Thought is very highly recommended for community and academic library Judaic Studies, Genetics, and Bioethics reference collections and supplemental studies reading lists."-Willis M. Buhle, Midwest Book Review "Dorff and Zoloth have assembled contributions that shed light on Jews, biology, and genes that are engagingly revelatory for Jew and non-Jew alike."—Arthur L. Caplan, Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor of Bioethics and director of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Langone Medical Center "A brilliant combination of science and philosophy that deepens one's awe for the genetics of life and demonstrates how insights from Jewish thought can help address the vexing questions that arise because of scientists' new capabilities to test for genes and alter them in the effort to prevent or cure disease."—Neil S. Wenger, director of the UCLA Health Ethics Center