British Journal of Hospital Medicine (BJHM) is published by IMR Press from Volume 87 Issue 1 (2026). Previous articles were published by another publisher under the hybrid model (CC-BY-NC license or on a subscription basis), and they are hosted by IMR Press on imrpress.com as a courtesy and upon agreement.
Life-threatening and terminal illness: considerations for hospitalised Orthodox Jewish patients
Akiva Tatz 1
Affiliation
Article Info
1 Rabbi Dr Akiva Tatz, Rabbi and Senior Lecturer, Jewish Learning Exchange, London, UK
Correspondence to: Akiva Tatz; tatzmed@gmail.com
Abstract
For Orthodox Jewish patients, palliative care in general and withholding and withdrawing treatment in particular pose potential conflicts with some aspects of current religious practice. This article gives an introduction to the relevant cultural context and summarises the relevant principles of Jewish law to help clinicians provide appropriate care for their Jewish patients.
Keywords
- Life-threatening illness
- Orthodox Jewish patients
- Terminal care