Community Magazine February 2021

C ommittee for the R escue of I srael’s B abies U.S.A. 1274 49th St. Suite 569 Brooklyn, NY 11219 Tel: 718-697-7022 efrat@efrat.org.il With $1,200 USD you can save a baby - Make the best investment in your life Hashem’s Reward Save a Life - Gain Yours מידה כנגד מידה Partner with EFRAT who saved unborn babies to date EFRAT - C.R.I.B. 78,404 Donations by credit card can be made through our secure website at https://en.efrat.org.il/ 40,000 children’s lives are being ended in Israel every year Please take advantage of the end of the fiscal year to receive tax rebates on contributions to EFRAT . Every donation, big or small, wil be gratefully received. EFRAT has been helping Jewish women in Israel choose to continue their pregnancies in spite of financial distress since 1977. Almost 80,000 babies have been born since then with the help of EFRAT's intervention and support. Not one of the women who had her baby and received EFRAT's help is sorry that her child is alive and with her. The opposite is the case. EFRAT's office is regularly flooded with messages from women who are overjoyed with their baby. Yardena's third pregnancy came as a complete surprise, just 4 months after her second baby was born. She had received the news of her first two pregnancies with happiness and excitement. This time she became very anxious and upset, thinking "How can I raise three tiny children on such a small income?". At that time, Yardena's brother lived in the United States. He had moved to Queens, NewYork and had become religious. One evening, his wife, Yardena's sister-in-law happened to hear a lecture by Dr. Eli Schussheim, EFRAT's president, who was being hosted by the couple's community synagogue. Dr. Schussheim explained the importance of children in a Jewish home and the incredible value of helping women continue their pregnancies in the face of so many struggles. When her sister-in-law heard how uncertain Yardena was about having her baby, she called Yardena to try to help. Yardena explained that she really could not see herself having this third baby and she became a little annoyed with her sister-in-law for meddling in her business. Yardena's brother and sister-in-lawdidnot let go.They called EFRAT in Jerusalem on her behalf and shortly afterwards an EFRAT volunteer, named Sarah called Yardena. Sarah listened to her describe her worries and talked through her fears with her. Over the next few days, they spoke a number of times and Sarah encouraged and strengthened Yardena's belief that she could do it. When she heard that concrete help was available in the form of a crib, stroller, baby-bath, clothing and monthly packages of diapers and wipes for two years, Yardena realized that this help could give her the courage to go ahead with her pregnancy. Yardena had a beautiful baby girl and sent EFRAT a picture of the baby with the words: "When my sweet daughter smiles at me and I think that I almost didn't have her, I can't believe what I was thinking about. This baby feels like a gift to me from the EFRAT Organization!" 78,404 all donations are welcome Donations by credit card can be made t r gh o r secure we bsi e at www.efrat.inf o U.S.A. 1274 49th St. Suite 569 Bro klyn, NY 1 219 Tel: 718-697-702 efrat@efrat.org.il 4 , 0 unborn babies undergo what is described in this diary According to the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics i 2018 - 19,543 women turned to th Abortion Committees 99.2% applica ns were approved. In addition, an estim ed over 20,000 i legal abo tions are performed yearly. י נג י 77,406 unborn babies to date T he tel p one at EFRAT’s headquarters rang and on the line was a donor from the U.S.A. She was calling to check whether the baby -whose family she had supported - had been born yet. Donations to EFRAT are earmarked for practical support for families who are ex ecting a baby, a time when financial distress may unfortunatelyleadtoirreversibl decisions.Alldonors receive a letter of thanks on which is recorded the dateof birthof thebaby theyhavehelped. Eventually they are also informed of the baby’s name. This American donor was waiting eagerly for news of the birth and as the time approached she called to find out if there had been any update. Ruthy, EFRAT’s chief social worker wh picked p th call, tells the story. ‘I checked o the syst m and told the lady on the ot er end of the line that a baby girl had inde just been born and that her name was Noa. The lady was very excited. She wanted to 7 6 k oww at this m meant s she herself was not a Hebrew speaker. I told her that Noa was one of the names of the 5 daughters of Tzelofchod. These women came to Moshe Rabeinu with the claim that their father had died without leaving a male heir and that they wanted a portion in the land of Israel. Moshe did not know what response to give them a d brought their assertion to H shem. Hashem instru ted Moshe to grant the land to these 5 daughters.’ Ruthy continued ‘During the course of the conversation I felt that the lady on the other end of thephonewas full of emotion. After a fewmoments of silence she explained to me the reason for her emotional reaction. “I myself came to visit Israel for the express purpose of buying an apartment in the Holy L nd. It touches me greatly to know that this baby girlis called after on of the courageous womenwhowent to such lengths to own a portion of the land - just like I did.