Canada stops hospital from 'pulling plug' on Orthodox Jew

Guidelines on active euthanasia do not exist throughout Canada, and each hospital feels free to make its own decisions.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
rambam hospital good generic pic 248 88 (photo credit: Channel 10)
rambam hospital good generic pic 248 88
(photo credit: Channel 10)
A Canadian judge has renewed an injunction to prevent doctors and administrators at Grace Memorial Hospital in Winnipeg from "pulling the plug" on an 84-year-old Orthodox Jew who is showing impressive signs of life and whose children oppose euthanasia. Samuel Golubchuk has been saved from dying as a result of Thursday's verdict by Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench. Although the hospital claimed he was dying and suffering and thus should be detached from life support (a feeding tube and respirator), Golubchuk - who has been in the hospital's intensive care unit since October - has been showing increasing progress in recent weeks. Guidelines on active euthanasia do not exist throughout Canada, and each hospital feels free to make its own decisions. Judge Perry Schulman said a full trial must be held on the issue, as all the patient's family's arguments must be heard before a decision is taken. The patient's children, Percy Golubchuk and Miriam Geller, expressed relief and said, "God is with us." The Jewish community, especially the Orthodox, in North America and Israel have supported the family and hundreds of Web sites have been set up to rally support. Among the organizations that have signed a petition on behalf of the Golubchuk family are Agudath Israel of Toronto, Agudath Israel World Organization, the American Jewish Congress, the Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists, the Jerusalem Center for Research on Medicine and Halacha, the National Council of Young Israel, the Rabbinical Council of America and the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.