Giving Thanks for a Life Almost Passed Over

April 17, 2014

5 min read

(Photo: Carin Araujo/ Wiki Commons)
(Photo: Carin Araujo/ Wiki Commons)

The holiday of Passover commemorates the exodus of the Jews from Egypt and the beginning of Jewish nationality. It is the very cornerstone of Jewish identity. The holiday is specifically set aside to commemorate the events surrounding the exodus, including the salvation of Jewish babies at the hands of the Jewish midwives.

Among the most prominent of the midwives was Miriam, the sister of Moses, also know as Efrat. Jewish tradition states that not only did Miriam save Jewish male babies in Egypt, but she also reconciled her parents after a short lived separation. The reunion of Miriam’s parents resulted in the birth of her younger brother, Moses.

Thus began a unique tradition of Jewish heroines saving the lives of Jewish babies, an occurrence which helped crystallize the national identity and heritage of the Jewish nation.

Dr. Eli Schussheim is director of a modern day organization dedicated to saving the lives of Jewish babies from the threat of abortion. The organization, known by the name “EFRAT” and its affiliate  “Save a Jewish Baby” (SAJB), very much associates with the Passover holiday and the important work the organization does.

“The holiday of Passover is a very special one for us that strongly connects to what we are doing,” Dr. Schussheim told Breaking Israel News. “When you think about it, the entire holiday takes place as a result of the actions of the Jewish midwives, and Miriam specifically. We save Jewish babies just as she did, hence we are called EFRAT.”

The connection with Passover doesn’t just stop at the name but at the work that is done and how it is done.

“Our volunteers talk to the mothers who are considering having an abortion. They provide a willing ear and soft shoulder to help them through one of the most difficult times of their lives,” said Ruth Tidhar, the head social worker at EFRAT/SAJB.

“We talk to who can’t see the end of the tunnel. And we’re there to give them that light at the end of the tunnel. It is quite a responsibility,” she said.

Jewish literature states that midwives in Egypt also spoke to the mothers to calm their nerves and provided help in raising the children in secrecy wherever possible. EFRAT/SAJB provides emotional support for soon to be mothers, as well as all financial and material support that a new mother will need for the first two years of the child’s life, at no cost to the parents. The financial support and care packages are given to the mother on condition she decides to continue her pregnancy and not abort her child.

SAJB-PassoverMidwives-600WIDE

“Miriam got the name Efrat because the Jews were fruitful and multiplied by her. The stories about her are about encouraging childbirth, and providing concrete support to those who were less fortunate to help them have babies. That is exactly what we are all about and that is where we get our inspiration to helping babies,” said Schussheim.

There are over 40,000 abortions per year in Israel, over 1.4 million in the United States, and hundreds of millions more around the rest of the world. Dr. Schussheim calls this “the biggest modern day plague and a solvable one.”

EFRAT/SAJB has rescued over 57,000 babies in Israel from being aborted during pregnancy and the numbers are growing each day.

“We currently ship out over 3,500 packages per month to EFRAT families and new mothers that contain everything from diapers and strollers to cribs and toys. Everything a baby and new mother needs,” said Tidhar.

Removing the financial burden of raising a child has freed the would-be mothers from worries, stress and familial pressure which can cause her to decide to have an abortion. Once they have the backing and care of EFRAT/SAJB volunteers, and knowing that someone is there to support them, they have the ability to make a truly free choice without the constant pressure they feel from husbands, in-laws or simple financial obligations which may otherwise convince them to have an abortion.

The modus operandi of EFRAT/SAJB is that once they receive a call, one of the 3,000 volunteers in Israel befriends the would-be-mother and talks to her while helping her through the process of making a decision. Often these volunteers are mothers who went through the same experience, and who chose to receive the help from EFRAT/SAJB.

Schussheim
Dr. Eli Schussheim

The greatest thing about EFRAT/SAJB is its success rate.  Both Schussheim and Tidhar point to a 100% success rate with mothers who are extremely grateful and who send letter after letter of thanks after their children are born.

“No one has ever said that they regret not having an abortion. That they regret giving birth and raising their child. On the other hand I have heard from hundreds if not thousands of women whom I have spoken to who regret having their abortion,” said Tidhar.

Tidhar reflected on the special significance the Passover holiday has for the families who were helped by EFRAT/SAJB.

“We are always happy when Passover arrives because it is the holiday where the youngest child at the seder plays an important role,” she explained. “The families who have been helped by EFRAT/SAJB sit at their seder and watch as their child who almost was not born say the four questions and plays the role that would otherwise be vacant. When that happens, the emotional outpouring is overwhelming.”

“I am the social worker with the most job satisfaction in the world,” exclaimed Tidhar. “The thanks comes in for years and years afterwards to all of our volunteers. I get so many phone calls all with the same message: You probably don’t remember me, but 10 years ago you saved my baby, and he is such a beautiful child, he has brought such joy to our lives, and we can never say thank you enough.”

EFRAT/SAJB receives thank you letters all the time. Tidhar herself is very thankful to be part of EFRAT/SAJB. “We work with women at the most dramatic and sensitive moments of their lives, and we can really make a difference. The difference of a life,” she said.

“We save lives, and prevent abortions without protestors, or legal battles, or any negative press or hurt feelings. We simply direct our work to solving the issues that lie behind more than 80% of abortions, and those are financial. We help the would-be-mothers and give them the confidence and experience that they need to make a proper choice, a free choice. But it is always her choice,” said Schussheim.

While thanks is more forthcoming around the holiday season, the work carries on as normal and the staff and volunteers do not get to enjoy the days off like the rest of the country.

“Babies are born all year and unfortunately aborted all year as well. Passover is pretty much business as usual. The offices should really be open 365 days a year,” says Tidhar. “We have people in the office all day. We have a 24/7 answering service except for Yom Kippur and no call goes unanswered, it’s not really any different on the holidays.”

The work is tireless, but the thanks is great. Simply, EFRAT/SAJB is saving the lives of the next generation. EFRAT/SAJB feels obligated to try to copy their model worldwide, and while they have met with officials in the U.S. and other countries, their work has yet to be successfully transplanted internationally.

For now, EFRAT/SAJB are leading by doing and helping those souls who may not otherwise be able to help themselves. Something which the people themselves are extremely grateful for after the fact.

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