Resources about Abortion for Jewish Communities and Many Others
How to find abortion pills
Physician-supported medication abortion care online. Appointments open Monday-Friday for 22+ US states. Overnight shipping* and comfort medications included. https://abortionondemand.org/
You can also find information about abortion pills here: https://www.plancpills.org/find-pills Plan C is the best single place for information and resources about how to find and use abortion pills. There is a state by state search tool that will help you assess any potential legal risk in your area, different options for acquiring pills, and find other organizations dedicated to providing medical, emotional, or legal support to people using abortion pills.
Emergency contraception (EC) can prevent pregnancy when used correctly. It should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sexual intercourse. It was originally approved to be used within 3 days, but we now know it can be effective for up to 5 days. One type of EC is known as the morning after pill or Plan B. It contains an elevated dose of progesterone and can stop the egg from being released or change the lining of the uterus so that the egg cannot attach and grow. Plan B is more effective if taken earlier. It might be less effective for those with a higher body mass index. You can purchase Plan B at a pharmacy without a prescription.
Aid Access: https://aidaccess.org/ Aid Access can help you order abortion pills online in all 50 U.S. states. You can get abortion pills by mail for a safe medical abortion at home. Aid Access consists of committed team of doctors, activists and advocates for abortion rights. The website is supported by a support team with both Spanish and English speaking members. You can make a consultation at their website to receive pill through the mail.
How to locate an abortion clinic
Miscarriage and Abortion hotline: https://www.mahotline.org/ This free, confidential hotline is staffed by doctors with years of experience caring for miscarriage and abortion. You can reach them by phone or text and they will give you expert advice on self-managing your miscarriage or abortion.
If you want to find a clinic to meet with a provider in person, visit https://www.ineedana.com/ and you can find one close to you.
Abortion Care Network: abortioncarenetwork.org ACN is the national association for independent, community-based abortion care providers and their allies. Independent clinics provide more than half of all abortions in the United States and the vast majority of care after the first trimester. The ACN website has a nationwide list of independent abortion clinics as well as information about how to support your local indie providers. To find local independent clinics near you, visit the ACN website or text “hello” to (202) 883-4620.
Be aware of crisis pregnancy centers! Especially this one: https://jewishpregnancyhelp.org/
Need financial support for your abortion?
National Network of Abortion Funds: https://abortionfunds.org/
National Abortion Hotline Fund: https://prochoice.org/
Local abortion funds https://abortionfunds.org/need-abortion/
Community-based abortion funds
How to communicate safely with others about abortion
If you are communicating with someone about abortion, please try to remember to use the messaging app Signal. Signal uses end-to-end encryption and is recommended by digital privacy experts. You can learn more about it here: https://signal.org/en/
Want to get involved? Here are some ideas for yourself and your community
Speak about abortion, elevate stories. https://shoutyourabortion.com/ Shout Your Abortion is normalizing abortion and elevating safe paths to access, regardless of legality. SYA makes resources, campaigns, and media intended to arm existing activists, create new ones, and foster collective participation in abortion access all over the country.
Elevate abortion stories and normalize different kinds of abortion: https://abortionswelcome.org/category/stories-and-perspective/
Share an abortion story or encourage others to do so: https://jwa.org/stories/abortion-stories
Join Rabbis for Repro: https://rabbisforrepro.org/
Write “thank you” notes to abortion providers. March 10th is recognized as National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers to commemorate the life and work of Dr. David Gunn who was murdered by an anti-abortion extremist on this day in 1993. You can find information about thank you notes here: https://www.aafront.org/thank-bank/
Make abortion care packages for patients that include: a blanket, candy/chocolate, tea, magazine, note, menstrual pads, heating pads, etc. Contact a local clinic and find out what they need. Coordinate with them.
Have bags available in your community with emergency contraception, etc. pads, etc.
Organize an abortion care drive for these items if you don’t have them already.
Raise money
Any abortion fund (above)
Jewish fund for abortion: https://www.jewsforabortionaccess.org/fund
Planned Parenthood
Independent clinics: the one nearest you, or in general https://keepourclinics.org/
Abortion Access Front offers education and advocacy with humor and snark: https://www.aafront.org/operation-save-abortion/
Looking for liturgy or ritual?
Havdalah Ritual (NCJW): https://ritualwell.org/ritual/after-roe-havdalah-ritual-losing-abortion-access/
Abortion Ritual (R’ Raphael): https://ritualwell.org/ritual/abortion-ritual/
Ritual for Abortion (R’s Eisenbach-Budner and Schnur): https://ritualwell.org/ritual/ritual-abortion/
Prayer to be said when preparing to end a pregnancy (R’ Cardin): https://ritualwell.org/ritual/prayer-be-said-when-preparing-end-pregnancy/
Self-Birthing: A Ritual for Termination of Pregnancy (Pescador): https://ritualwell.org/ritual/self-birthing-ritual-termination-pregnancy/
Tkhine for Planned Parenthood (R’ Katz): https://ritualwell.org/ritual/tekhine-planned-parenthood/
Prayer for a Pro-Choice Rally (R. Waxman): https://ritualwell.org/ritual/out-narrow-place-prayer-pro-choice-rally/
Abortions Welcome: https://abortionswelcome.org/
Act of Dedication After a Therapeutic Abortion (Rev. Anderson) https://ritualwell.org/ritual/act-dedication-after-therapeutic-abortion/
A New Year Ritual for Reproductive Justice (Black): https://jwa.org/blog/new-year-ritual-reproductive-justice
Hanukkah Blessing for RJ (Black): https://jwa.org/blog/hanukkah-blessings-reproductive-justice
Need some more education (for yourself or for your community)?
Learn from people who have had abortions. If you’re looking for Jews’ stories, try here, here, here, and here for starters.
Bring a scholar to your community: List of Synagogue talks.
Training in abortion pastoral support: https://www.faithaloud.org/trainings-materials/trainings/ or through RCRC: https://rcrc.org/compassionate-care/
Multi-faith perspectives through the Religion and Repro leaning center: https://rrlc.thinkific.com/
Launch a SYRF chapter on your campus: https://rcrc.org/syrf/ Spiritual Youth for Reproductive Freedom (SYRF) provides opportunities on academic campuses for spiritual fellowship and justice advocacy, centering on a commitment to reproductive freedom.
Participate in Repro Shabbat (Parashat Mishpatim, 2.17.23) https://www.jewsforabortionaccess.org/reproshabbat
So many educational resources from NCJW: https://www.jewsforabortionaccess.org/tools
Reproductive Justice: learn about it from Sistersong: https://www.sistersong.net/reproductive-justice
Read What’s an Abortion Anyway? By Carly Manes. Interview with Carly here.
JWA podcast about The Janes
Gisella Pearl, who performed abortions among Jewish women during the Holocaust.
Jewish History of Reproductive Rights Activism: here and here.
Watch a movies or documentary:
Under G-d (2023)
Aftershock (2022)
Call Jane (2022)
The Janes (U.S. Documentary)
America’s War On Abortion (2020)
Ask for Jane (2018)
Birthright: A War Story (2017)
Trapped (2016)
The Chosen Life (2016)
Grandma (2015)
Obvious Child (2014)
After Tiller (2013)
12th and Delaware (2010)
I Had an Abortion (2005)