“Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. He had not consented to their decision and deed.” (Luke 23:50).

We know from the gospels that Joseph was a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin, something like a Member of Parliament or a congressman. He was a secret disciple who waited for the Kingdom of God, yet feared the other leaders. Despite his apprehension and position, he didn’t agree with the policy of his government, so he TOOK ACTION. By going to Pilate and asking permission to bury the body of the Lord Jesus, Joseph proved himself to be brave, practical, pro-active, and willing to risk his life and reputation for what—THE ONE—he believed. The Israeli government permits and finances abortions through our National Health insurance using tax payers’ shekels. We do not agree!

WE TAKE ACTION. Through media and contacts with social workers, we reach out to women in crisis pregnancy so that we can protect both the mothers and the babies emotionally and practically. As we enter the Jewish New Year, we look back at the number of women who contacted us from September 2022 until the end of June: 2059 women phoned or visited our offices for help or with questions. 981 women were looking for an abortion. Out of these nearly one thousand women, 602 women agreed to meet with their local counselor to discuss their options. Thankfully, 310 of these abortion-minded women who met with the counselors chose life! 164 aborted. Nearly 200 women who were ambivalent about abortion, likely to carry to term but wavering, also contacted us. We financially supported over 60 very needy women who were referred to us by social workers shortly after their births. We lost contact with some of the other women before we heard their final decision. Sometimes, there are women who phone us several months later to let us know that they are still pregnant. Remarkably, 48% of the women whom we helped are married. Many of our mothers tell us that financial concerns are their primary motivator to abort. For this reason, this year Operation Moses Project, which supplies all the baby’s material needs for a full year, has been able to save a whopping 616 babies! We are deeply grateful to have been able to save all of these lives through your participation with us. Thank you for being a joyful giver. May God bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work (1 Corinthians 9).

Backpack Distribution

Again this year, with the generosity of other Israeli nonprofit organizations, we were able to distribute over 500 backpacks to our moms around the country for their school-aged children. School supplies, as every parent knows, can be costly, especially in Israel where school books are not free. These backpacks, with supplies inside, have been a precious gift for the moms and their families.

Honor Everyone

At the conclusion of our ten-week training class for the Ethiopian and Eritrean mothers, they wanted to express their thanks for the course, for pampering them with a nice brunch each week, and for showing them dignity and respect. They wrote beautiful letters of thanks. They prepared a delicious meal of injera (Ethiopian flatbread) and wot (Ethiopian stew) to share with the office staff, expressing their gratitude for the initiative and for being able to have these meetings. Several mothers shared that they had never before met such love and acceptance in Israeli society. They are not used to someone caring about them and wanting to help them. Our kindness deeply touched their hearts. The meetings have encouraged them and brought them closer together. The teaching empowered them and gave them tools for raising their children in a country foreign to them. At the end of the course, they feel that they can give their children a better future.

Lots of Gifts for the Moms

On August 1st, we went down to join our team in Beer Sheva to distribute a bounty of baby items that had been generously donated to us. Over a hundred moms came to our distribution center to receive booster chairs, baby beds, play pens, bed rails, mattresses, strollers, clothing, and many other items. There was such a treasure of items that they were also distributed in several of our other centers. The mothers were absolutely delighted to be so abundantly blessed.

Facelift for the Gardens of Life

The Gardens of Life, a forested memorial garden where trees are planted to honor babies who were lost due to abortion, miscarriage or still birth, has had recent renovations. New, vibrant green signs were placed on the entrance gates and throughout the gardens, reminding people of the sanctity of the area. A large storage container has been added so that clean-up equipment will be more easily accessible. Crews have come and beautified the grounds. Our three hundred olive trees will soon be bearing fruit and ready for harvesting to produce more pure anointing olive oil. A special thank you note was written to our prayer hostess Laurel for her kindness: “Thanks amazing Laurel! You are doing a holy work, really. Thank you so much. It was our pleasure to get to know you.” The couple had planted two trees for their twins whose hearts stopped beating at twenty-one weeks in the womb. Our hearts grieve together with this precious couple who lost their twins, yet we are thankful for the possibility of offering them comfort in the Gardens of Life. All are welcome to plant trees for babies who were not held. Write our office to order: info@beadchaim.org.il

Shira and Baby Boy Shai David

Shira is thirty-seven years old, married, and lives with her family in Eilat. When she found herself in an unexpected pregnancy, she was very worried. Their financial situation was extremely difficult. Her husband’s leg had been injured in a work accident. This had made it very difficult for him to find work. Shira was also worried about her age and was seriously thinking of an abortion. When she was seventeen years old she had an abortion and suffered afterwards emotionally, with many regrets. So when her social worker encouraged her to call Be’ad Chaim, Shira was relieved to find kindness and help. Throughout the pregnancy, her husband supported her and was by her side helping with their children. He also found some work in a meat deli close to their home. They named their new son Shai, meaning gift. Shira has said that this precious baby came to her as a surprise gift. They covet your prayers for complete healing for Shira’s husband.

Ortal and Baby Boy Elai

Ortal is forty-four years old, single, and has a son who is twenty-two years old. She works in a kindergarten as an assistant teacher. She was in a relationship with a man, but when he found out she was pregnant he didn’t want anything to do with her. Ortal was afraid and confused. Her son is currently in prison for dealing drugs, and she had no help or support from her family. She began to think that having an abortion was her best option. Thankfully when she was looking online for help she came across Be’ad Chaim and decided to make contact with us. As soon as she was able to sit down with one of our wonderful counselors, Ortal was able to receive all the love and support she needed to bravely choose life for her baby. Her counselor not only encouraged her emotionally, but also registered her for the Operation Moses project which provided her with all of her baby’s basic needs for a full year. Ortal gave birth to her son Elai in March. She is deeply grateful that she chose life, because Elai has brought back laughter to her heart.

Hannah and Baby Boy Shoham

Hannah is a very busy mother. Only twenty-five years old, she is single and has two toddler boys. When she became pregnant again, she panicked. She had had an abortion in the past which had caused her a lot of emotional pain and she didn’t want to go through that again, but she couldn’t imagine how she could manage with another baby on her own. She called our hotline and found help. Just a few months ago, her third son Shoham was born. Hannah had Shoham’s father with her, while a friend looked after her two older boys. Since the birth, Hannah has struggled to adjust to caring for three young boys on her own. Thankfully she is receiving a government discount for daycare for her older boys, so she has Shoham alone in the mornings. However, she finds the evenings the biggest challenge! Hannah is a wonderful mother and does her best to make sure her kids are safe and growing healthily. She says baby Shoham is doing well and is a very smiley boy.

Nadia and Baby Girl Yahalom

Nadia is eighteen years old and lives on the Mediterranean coast with her mother and brother. When she was seventeen, she had a boyfriend who beat her when he heard that she was pregnant. She ended up in the hospital. Nadia thought her only option was to have an abortion. When her mother came to visit her and found out about the situation, she encouraged her daughter to keep the baby, saying she would support her. Nadia was still confused, but when she asked for help through the Social Services they referred her to our counselor Yael. Meeting with Yael, Nadia found mercy and compassion, key ingredients in encouraging a choice for LIFE. She named her new daughter Yahalom, which means “diamond” because Nadia says Yahalom shines like a diamond. Yet, she worried about her future. Social workers came weekly to check for drugs and alcohol and warned Nadia of the possibility of losing her child. Nadia says that her conversations with counselor Yael helped her stay on the right path and gave her hope for a fresh start. The practical help of baby furniture and monthly gift cards through our Operation Moses Project were very important because whenever the social worker came to check on her, she could see that Nadia had all of the supplies that she needed for little Yahalom. Yahalom is now over a year old. Nadia has rented a small apartment not far from her mom. She wanted to continue living with her mother, but unfortunately her brother who lives at home was often violent, and he is now in prison for his actions. Social workers arranged for funding through the Welfare Department, which pays for the daycare and helps towards the rent on the apartment. Nadia says that being such a young mom isn’t easy but she is so grateful that she has her mom who supports and helps her and is always there for her. Nadia sent us a picture of little Yahalom so we could see how beautifully she is growing. She says: “It is thanks to your help that my sweet little girl is growing so beautifully.”

Filming of short video clips for media:

A fabulous series of short video clips in Hebrew was created for social media to save lives. The videos include the testimonies of three different moms (forty-four, twenty-five, and sixteen years old) who all chose life; the advice from several of our counselors; words of encouragement from Sandy our director; and inspiration from a prolife doctor. Here’s the story shared by Ada, mother of Elia, for her video: When I discovered that I was pregnant, I took it really hard. My mother had passed away only five months earlier and I didn’t feel that there was any reason to bring another child into the world whom she wouldn’t get to know. I cried to my husband: “I don’t want this baby. My emotional state is not good.” I wanted to do an abortion.

At the Lilach Center [Be’ad Chaim’s pregnancy center] I received encouragement to bring this baby to life. They received me there with warmth and without judging me for wanting to abort. When I held Elia in my arms for the first time, I felt such tremendous joy. My desire to protect him was awakened. Sometimes, I wouldn’t sleep and would check if he was breathing. Today, I, and all of our family, love Elia very much.

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