Surrogacy is a new technology, and as such there is no halachic consensus on this procedure. In addition, the different sects of Judaism differ in their interpretation and allowance of surrogacy.

There are orthodox rabbis who prohibit this practice due to issues of possible adultery with the sperm of a man being implanted into a woman that is not his wife. Others are more lenient since the Torah allows a man to have more than one wife.  Orthodox rabbis who permit this procedure state that certain conditions must be adhered to so that halachic requirements can be met. The surrogate mother must be single, and unrelated to either spouse to make sure that there is no question of adultery or incestual relations. As to the religious status of the child, the questions that arise with ova donation are present here.  Since many orthodox rabbis concur that the surrogate mother determines the religious status of the child, that offspring would need to be converted if the surrogate is not Jewish. It is strongly suggested that a rabbi's opinion be sought and discussed with a couple if surrogacy is proposed.

Conservative Jewish Rabbis generally permit surrogacy but maintain that if the surrogate mother is not Jewish the child would need to undergo conversion.

By and large, Reform Jews allow a surrogate pregnancy, but may insist that the eggs and sperm used are those of the couple concerned rather than donated material from an anonymous source. 

Conservative and Reform Rabbis differ in opinion from the Orthodox point of view.  Read more about the different therapies and the Jewish Perspective of the major streams of Judaism:

• Infertility Therapies: Jewish Perspective
• Sperm Testing
• In Vitro Fertilization
• Artificial Insemination
• Ovum Donation
• Surrogacy