The Christchurch coroners' office confirmed yesterday that the autopsy on Ohad Dotan, 27, who died after an apparent fall near the Mueller Glacier in the Southern Alps this week, went ahead.
The coroner had contacted Dotan's family through the Israeli embassy in Australia, and it had consented to an autopsy, a spokeswoman said.
Rabbi Menachem Goldstein, director of Chabad Lubavitch of New Zealand, had asked regional coroner Richard McElrea to avoid a full autopsy as incisions were deemed a desecration in Jewish law.
Rabbi’s Autopsy Appeals Unsuccessful
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — An autopsy has been carried out on an Israeli tramper despite a request by a Christchurch rabbi that it not be done.
The Christchurch coroners’ office confirmed yesterday that the autopsy on Ohad Dotan, 27, who died after an apparent fall near the Mueller Glacier in the Southern Alps this week, went ahead.
The coroner had contacted Dotan’s family through the Israeli embassy in Australia, and it had consented to an autopsy, a spokeswoman said.
Rabbi Menachem Goldstein, director of Chabad Lubavitch of New Zealand, had asked regional coroner Richard McElrea to avoid a full autopsy as incisions were deemed a desecration in Jewish law.
“We asked them to avoid any unnecessary incisions in the body if at all possible,” Goldstein said. “This wasn’t a fight; this wasn’t an action. We made a request and advised them of Jewish tradition.”
Dotan’s body has been taken to the John Rhind funeral home in Christchurch. Goldstein said he wanted to clean the body, as is Jewish custom, to purify it before burial.
The embassy in Australia could not confirm yesterday when Dotan’s body would be flown home.
In New Zealand, a family has the right to object to an autopsy unless the death involves a criminal offence, if any law requires an autopsy, or if an autopsy has to be performed immediately as a delay might limit the ability to determine the cause of death. If the family’s appeal is unsuccessful, it may appeal to the High Court.
The coroner must take into account a family’s cultural or spiritual beliefs when deciding whether to carry out an autopsy.
AUTOPSIES
Maori: Believe an autopsy is a violation of the body of the deceased. The Coroners Act allows individual coroners flexibility to decide whether an autopsy is necessary.
Judaism: Requires a body to be buried in consecrated ground as soon as possible after death and therefore sees autopsies as best avoided.
Islam: Muslims want the dead to be buried as soon as possible. If there is a valid reason for an autopsy such as suspected foul play it is permissible.
Buddhism: Believes that after death the soul remains near the body, and an autopsy damaging the the body could distract the soul. Examination is permitted after a religious leader says the soul has left the body.
Christianity: Allows autopsies on almost all occasions but asks that the body be treated with respect and the family’s permission obtained.
