In recent years Israeli state policies have attempted to dissuade Orthodox Jews from creating large families, an objective that flies in the face of their traditional practices.

As the state’s desire to cultivate a high-income, tech-centred nation comes into greater conflict with common Orthodox familial practices, Jewish couples are finding it increasingly difficult to fulfil their reproductive aims and communal expectations. Paying close attention to ethical dilemmas, cultural anthropologist Lea Taragin-Zeller joins Karen Skinazi to explore not just proceptive but also contraceptive desires around family formation: when to have children, how many, and at what cost?

An event from Jewish Book Week 2024