Following pressure from the ultra-Orthodox community, the Magen David Adom first-responder service is considering dropping the gender-neutral wording it adopted on blood-donation forms in October.
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According to officials, thousands of Haredim stopped donating blood and several blood drives in yeshivas were canceled as well after the words "parent 1" and "parent 2" replaced the words "father" and "mother" in the forms given to prospective donors.
Changes were made to the policy after Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz, who is openly gay, took office. The government also lifted restrictions on blood donations by gay men.
Given that blood donations are common in the ultra-Orthodox community and yeshiva students donate on a regular basis, the cancellations have greatly impacted the much-needed donations.
Magen David Adom handed the matter over to a committee advising the Health Ministry on blood transfusions. The same committee, which includes ultra-Orthodox officials, had previously argued for the change and did not anticipate the backlash.
At the request of Jewish-rights group Btsalmo, Magen David said in a statement it was "only guided by the concern for the supply of doses and blood components in a regular and orderly manner, to the sick and wounded who need blood transfusions to save their lives."
Btsalmo CEO Shai Glick praised the blood bank's decision to refer the matter to the committee.
"Magen David Adom is a state body that does sacred work, and it must not interfere in public and political discourse," he said, expressing hope that the ministry would rule for the forms to go back to their original wording.
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