Reverend Julia Offinger, Associate Rector of Grace Church in New York City and Rabbi Rachel Brown, educational director of Temple Beth Shalom in Hudson, Ohio talk candidly with Sam about the roles of faith, love and grace in the struggle to make a family. It’s a rare chance to ask the direct questions about the religious rules of IVF and alternative reproduction, from the Episcopal stance on infertility to the Catholic stance on IVF to the Jewish stance on egg donation and surrogacy, and more. A female priest and a female rabbi share their personal experiences with Ashkenazi Jewish genes, Christian lesbian marriage and same sex motherhood, third party reproduction, Jesus, the Pope, the Talmud, the Torah, Jewish scholarship and Christian fellowship, all with a passion for spreading the word that it’s okay to do IVF and alternative reproduction in the eyes of religion, and that normalizing these pathways to making families is the best thing we can do to support people going through it.

Learn more about Reverend Julia’s work at Grace Church NYC.

Learn more about Rabbi Rachel at Temple Beth Shalom, Shaarey Tikvah, and Camp Timbrel.

SEND IN YOUR QUESTIONS for our Season 2 finale with fertility therapist Savannah Sanfield. Ask anything, get free answers. Questions due by 11/11. Send to ivfupodcast@gmail.com or DM Sam at www.instagram.com/ivfupodcast.

Get more info on IVFU and download our theme song "Freak in Love" at www.ivfupodcast.com. Keep up with the latest IVFU updates and special announcements! Follow us at www.instagram.com/ivfupodcast, www.facebook.com/ivfupodcast and www.twitter.com/ivfupodcast. Donate to help IVFU keep going at Venmo.com/ivfupodcast and PayPal.me/ivfupodcast. Get in touch! Email us your thoughts, questions and transcript requests at ivfupodcast@gmail.com.

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