Jewish Decisions about Childhood Vaccinations: The Unification of Medicine with Religion

Using Rabbinic rulings, religious texts, and historical examples, this article explores the strong basis in Jewish law for an obligation to have children receive vaccinations against vaccine preventable diseases. In doing so, the article critiques the notion that medical information on vaccine risk and safety are strictly secular matters separate from religious ones. In Jewish law, medical matters of risk and safety are key to religious rulings regarding the acceptance of childhood vaccines and whether Jewish parents are obligated to have their children vaccinated. In other words, decisions regarding childhood vaccine requirements in Jewish law are religiously based upon the medical science