Women who perform social egg freezing as Moral pioneers: The case of ultra-Orthodox Communities in Israel: The Case of Ultra-Orthodox Communities in Israel

Social egg freezing (SEF) is a new reproductive technology that is increasingly used
within ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, stirring tensions between tradition and
modernity. Based on in-depth semi-structured interviews, this study examined how
ultra-Orthodox singles who employ SEF engage in social negotiations over gender-
and body-related norms. Findings show that participants successfully assimilated
SEF by establishing facts on the ground and discreetly spreading information
while actively avoiding tensions that may threaten religious tradition. SEF did not
push participants into modern individualism or dissolve their strong connection to
the community. However they did modify social boundaries and articulated social
criticism.