They’re not quite Matriarch Sarah and Patriarch Abraham, who were 90 and 100, respectively, when their son, Isaac, was born. This couple–she’s 48 and he is 62–are parents of a baby boy, thanks to a hand from heaven and the team at Hadassah Hospital Mount Scopus.
The mother has six children from a previous marriage. The father was married twice before, but was childless. Although her children and grandchildren call him zayde or sabba–Yiddish and Hebrew for Grandpa, he still dreamed of having a biological child. She was willing to give it a try.
“It was a high-risk pregnancy from the beginning,” says Prof. Simcha Yagel, head of the Hadassah Medical Center’s Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology. She was followed by the staff of the High-Risk Unit, optimistic that the baby would be born in good health.
“In the 38th week, a very cute baby was born to the couple,” relates Prof. Yagel. “I am happy that everything turned out so well, and that we were able to help them.”
The new mother had her eggs frozen several years ago. “Over the last few years,” she says, “we tried to conceive. My husband was sure that we would succeed and didn’t lose hope, even when the attempts were unsuccessful.”
Her other children are between the ages of 17 and 27. Several have children of their own. “I am already a grandmother of two with more on the way,” the mother says as her smile broadens. “Now they have a small, sweet, and charming little brother, and we are very excited.”
“I receive calls from all over the world, from friends and family,” says the new Dad. “The news is spreading, and every moment a heart-warming blessing is received here. When we announced the birth, people were dancing and singing with joy.”
Emphasizing that the support they received in Hadassah Mt. Scopus’ Fertility Unit was constant, the father explains: “The staff were great; they understood the strong desire we had, and they were always there for us with explanations and encouragement.”
Now too, he says, “everyone is supportive, wonderful. In the maternity ward, we are surrounded with care from every direction. The staff is very happy for us and is really watching over my wife.”
The father adds: “It’s important to know that there is always hope. Sometimes when walking through the tunnel, one cannot see the light. I was there for many years, but at the end of the tunnel, there is light–a great light.”
The couple are preparing for the celebratory Brit Mila (circumcision ceremony). What a party it will be.