Jewish sperm donor 'dumped' by Lesbian couple over Gaza war

A Jewish sperm donor has shared his shock and devastation after being ditched by a couple in light of the Gaza war.

Jay Lazarus, a married, gay hairdresser from Perth, Australia, said that he decided to become a donor in October 2022 to help fellow same-sex couples start a family.

In a series of Instagram posts, he explained that he “connected deeply” with the two women, from Queensland, and was “committed to helping them achieve their dream.”

Then, in September 2023, after undergoing months of “medical tests, emotional counselling” and a strict health regime, his donation was finally ready.

However, “after October 7th 2023, everything changed,” he continued. “The couple sent a message that left me reeling.”

Jay posted a screenshot of the lengthy text, in which the couple (who he has not identified), told him they no longer wanted to work with him.

They began by expressing their “deep gratitude” towards him for the part he’d played in their “journey”, describing him as having been “absolutely amazing” throughout.

But, they went on: “We are so deeply affected by the world events at the moment, particularly the war between Israel and Gaza.”

They continued: “We are down a rabbit hole with the depth of our emotions and the ethical challenges, and truth be told we feel out of our depth proceeding with this donor relationship.

“We are about kindness and love. Everything we do, say, work towards is love in action, for every human being.”

Insisting they were sad for both Israelis and Palestinians, they admitted: “We don’t have the capacity to navigate parts of your identity in this donor relationship so we are respectfully ending this now.”

Their message was sent on 9 December, some two months after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel which saw more than 1,130 people killed and 240 kidnapped, with Israel declaring war on the militant group.

Since then, almost 24,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, most of whom were women and children, according to the strip’s Hamas-run health ministry.

The international community’s initial support for Israel has been waning in light of the situation, with South Africa even launching a genocide case against the state.

However, Israeli officials insist that they are doing all they can to avoid civilian casualties. They accuse Hamas of hiding its network of tunnels and military infrastructure among Gaza's civilian population, deliberately putting them at risk.

Meanwhile, reports of antisemitism are continuing to rise, with Jewish people around the world being targeted over actions that are well beyond their control.

Sharing his story, Jay confessed: “I didn’t think the day would ever come that I would have to post a story like this for being Jewish.”

“This couple preferred to go back to square one of the sperm donor process rather than to accept my Jewish sperm,” he lamented, adding: “Let that sink in (it took me a while, honestly.”

He continued: “I’ve been sitting on this for weeks, unsure if to share this story. But as time passes, I am compelled to share what I’ve learned.

“Prejudice is still pervasive, even in progressive circles that champion ‘kindness and love’.

“We are living in an era with disturbing echoes from the ideologies of racial purity that once fuelled the Holocaust - lineage free from Jewishness.

“Antisemitism is not just a relic of the past but a living, breathing prejudice that continues today.”

He concluded: “This couple has chosen a path, and while I can’t change their view, I refuse to let it diminish my pride or lose hope.

“I’m proud to be gay, proud to be Jewish, and proud to stand against hate.

“Love wins, and I will continue to embrace my identity fully and hope for a future where acceptance and understanding prevail.”

Jewish leaders in Australia have shared their report for Jay, with Alex Ryvchin, co-CEO of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, decrying his treatment as proof of the sprawl of antisemitism in our society since October”.

“This would not occur with any other form of racism or discrimination,” he told The Australian.

“Yet, where Jews are concerned it seems perfectly reasonable to reject someone because they are a Jew, and still claim the moral high ground.”

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