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Q: What is the HOD Society?
A: The HOD Society is an organization that educates Jews around the world about the different halachic opinions surrounding organ donation. It also offers a living kidney donor program, trying to help altruistic kidney donors find recipients in Israel or the Jewish community.
Q: What kind of programming does the HOD Society offer?
A: The HOD Society offers Shabbat lectures, school lectures, one-day regional seminars, Shabbat Scholar-in-Residence programs, and printed materials.
Q: Does the HOD Society issue piskei halacha (religious rulings)?
A: No. The HOD Society recognizes a plurality of halachic positions concerning organ donation and determining the moment of death. Therefore, it offers a unique organ donor card that allows people to choose between different halachic options.
Q: Does the HOD Society take a position on brain-stem death?
A: No. It recognizes this issue as a major legitimate rabbinic debate and attempts to clarify the arguments on both sides of the debate. Ultimately, individuals should learn the issue themselves and consult with their Rabbi.
Q: Has the HOD Society saved any lives?
A: Yes. The HOD Society has helped to save hundreds of lives. Some donations were directly enabled by the HOD Society, such as in the pairing of altruistic, live kidney donor Eric Swim of the U.S. with ten year-old recipient Moshiko Sharon of Israel. Other donations occurred when the HOD Society was called by a family to come to the hospital to consult, and as a result of the consultation the decision to donate was made.
Indirectly, people have made decisions to donate organs of a loved one based partly on initial exposure to the topic by reading our website, HOD printed material, hearing a HODS lecture, or seeing a HOD advertisement with our list of over 200 Rabbis who have HOD Society organ donor cards. This introduction to the topic raised these people’s awareness and spurred them to consult with their Rabbi.
Q: Does the HOD Society help only Jews?
A: No. The HOD Society encourages organ donation from Jews to the general population (that includes non-Jews.)
Q: Can the HOD Society help me get an organ?
A: Not directly. The HOD Society has, in the past, directly paired altruistic live kidney donors with recipients, but its main mission is to save lives by increasing organ donation from Jews and donating them to the general public (i.e. whoever is next on the UNOS list.)
Q: Can a corpse have a proper Tahara (ritual washing) upon death if the person was an organ donor?
A: The custom to wash a corpse upon death is to pour water over the corpse. This can be done to an organ donor as it can be done do a badly injured car accident victim or someone who died on the operating table during open-heart surgery.
Q: Is the HOD Society active in America only?
A: No, the HOD Society is active in Israel and America and has delivered lectures in many countries throughout Europe (England, Greece, Italy, Poland, Germany, etc.)
Q: How does the HOD Society support itself?
A: The HOD Society supports itself through charitable donations, selling raffle tickets and bracelets, and receiving donations for lectures. It is a recognized charitable organization in the US but not in Israel.
Q: Is the HOD Society a recognized non-profit organization?
A: Yes, the HOD Society has 501(c)3 status, and financial donations are tax-deductible. In Israel it is not yet a recognized non-profit organization.
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