Strengthening Jewish Continuity: PUAH And Altneu Synagogue Explore Fertility Preservation, Halacha, And Building Jewish Families
On Wednesday, July 29, 2026, PUAH partnered with Altneu Synagogue for an intimate evening focused on fertility preservation, bringing together medical and halachic experts and individuals whose personal stories and lives reflect the relevance this topic has to the Jewish community.
The event featured an outstanding panel comprised of Rabbi Eliezer Krohn, Rabbinic Advisor at PUAH, Dr. Joshua Klein, FACOG, Co-Founder and Chief Clinical Officer of Extend Fertility, Rochel Levy of the Ta’amod Preservation Fund, Ellin Cooper, Yoetzet Halacha with the Manhattan Yoetzet Initiative and an Altneu member, and Blayne Mathias, a PUAH constituent who shared her journey of freezing her eggs using them to build her family under PUAH’s halachic guidance and supervision.
The discussion covered many of the questions women are asking today. At what point should someone consider freezing her eggs? How does the process work, and what have recent advances in technology changed? What does halacha say about fertility preservation? How does PUAH ensure proper halachic oversight throughout the process? The panel also explored the emotional side of these decisions: the uncertainty, the timing, and the balance between planning for the future while living fully in the present. Dr. Klein walked the audience through the medical realities of egg freezing, dispelling common misconceptions and explaining why many women today are choosing to preserve their fertility earlier than previous generations. Rabbi Krohn discussed the halachic framework that allows women to benefit from these advances while ensuring every step is approached with sensitivity and halachic integrity.
Rochel Levy spoke about the Ta’amod Preservation Fund, which helps make fertility preservation financially accessible for eligible women, while Ellin Cooper reflected on the importance of yoetzet’s role in providing women with the necessary emotional support and guidance throughout the process.
One of the evening’s most powerful moments came from Blayne Mathias. Looking back, she shared how difficult it was to make the decision to freeze her eggs not knowing what the future held. Today, as the mother of children born from those frozen eggs, she offered a moving tale that sometimes the decisions we make with uncertainty become the very blessings we thank Hashem for. Her story brought to life the reason why PUAH has invested so deeply in supporting women throughout this journey with trusted medical partnerships, halachicguidance, and compassionate care.
The audience remained engaged throughout the evening, asking thoughtful questions that reflected both genuine curiosity and a desire to better understand the options available to them. More than simply providing information, the program created an environment where women could leave feeling educated, supported, and empowered.
The evening also highlighted the natural partnership between PUAH and Altneu. Both organizations are deeply committed to strengthening Jewish families by giving individuals the knowledge, resources, and guidance they need to make informed decisions rooted in Torah values and medical excellence.
As fertility care continues to evolve, conversations like these ensure that our community evolves with it, and that we are equipped with knowledge grounded in halacha and inspired by the shared goal of helping create more Jewish families.
