Adoption FAQ

Is In Shifra's Arms an adoption agency?
How could you help me with adoption?
What's the difference between pain from adoption vs. abortion? 

Is In Shifra's Arms an adoption agency?
No, but we can connect you with adoption agencies and adoption facilitators who work with Jewish families seeking to adopt. We keep profiles on our site to give our viewers a sense of the kind of people seeking to adopt, and you can contact them or their adoption agency directly if you wish. We do not make direct matches. We do not accept any funding from couples listed on our site nor do we use volunteers who are currently looking to adopt.

To better understand the different roles that different agencies play in adoption, please click here.

Many Jewish social service agencies offer adoption services and can also connect you with Jewish adoptive families. Two other resources are:

Jewish Children's Adoption Network at 303-573-8113, which facilitates adoptions and has more than 1300 Jewish families on its list. They work with infants as well as older children, including children with disabilities.

Chai Adoption Network for Jewish Children: 877-CHAIN-62

We do not advocate adoption over parenting or vice versa. We provide resources to help you overcome any obstacles you face to choosing adoption or parenting and work with you to make the best choice.

How could you help me with adoption?
We can listen and support you as you consider all of your options and connect you with a variety of caring people who have adoption expertise to get all of your questions answered. We can continue to help you make a plan for parenting while you are looking at adoption and are taking time to choose. We can connect with you with birth-mother mentors through a partner organization who can also speak with you while you are deciding. If you are in school, In Shifra's Arms will work with you to identify internship opportunities and online courses that will allow you to maintain your privacy by spending time off campus during your pregnancy and still moving forward with your education. However, if you wish, you will still be able to take classes on campus. If you are working or unemployed, we can assist you to work with your employer as you carry the baby through birth. If you choose adoption, you have the right to the same pregnancy benefits that you would get if you were keeping the child in your custody.

What's the difference between pain from adoption vs. abortion? 
No text can do justice to this subject.

It's no secret that some women who choose adoption experience loss and grieving. Some women who have abortions experience loss and grieving as well. However, there are no long term studies in which birthmothers reported that they really wish they had aborted instead. Their grief is generally associated with the loss of the opportunity to raise their child, but they do not regret loving their child and giving him or her life. This is why it's especially important to make the choice carefully.

There is no sugar coating the challenge of choosing adoption. Some women say it's the hardest decision they ever had to make. Some of these same women also say that they were able to find strength inside that they never knew they had.

For one powerful birthmother's story, click here. (Note: This organization is not affiliated with In Shifra's Armsbut their perspective is interesting)..