Nir Salomon, Executive Director of Efrat, spoke to Israel National News - Arutz Sheva about the organization that provides hope, support, and a path forward for women, who initially felt they had to end their pregnancies due to financial stress, but found financial and emotional support.
Salomon explains that “Efrat is an organization that empowers women at the time when they are making a decision, whether to continue their pregnancy or not. We give them the tools, to make that decision with calm and ease and, if they need our help later on, we're also there to help them.”
Salomon emphasizes, “No woman needs education on how important her baby is. They all want their baby, however the environmental pressures, that are usually tied to financial difficulties, put them in a position that they're now considering terminating their pregnancy. When we ensure them that we will be by their side, they will not be alone both emotionally and financially throughout the pregnancy, but also years afterwards, that's what gives them the ease to make that decision. Almost everybody decides to keep their child and that's when we come in and tell them, ‘If you're keeping your child, we will stand by your side. We will provide you with that assistance.’”
Salomon continues, “This assistance includes many stages. Many times, they don't know how they're going to buy a crib for the baby. The poverty is very strong and they're trying to make ends meet, so how can they now have additional expenses. We provide it all. They come home from the hospital with the baby and there will be a crib, a carriage, a baby bath, waiting for them by their door; all brand new. Then we tell them that we understand that afterwards there are additional expenses, such as diapers, baby formula, etc., and we will send them that assistance every month for at least 24 months, so that they know that they have somebody by their side. We don't solve all of their problems; we stand by their side.”
Salomon explains, “We are about to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Passover. We know that the Jewish nation was saved from Egypt thanks to the righteous women. The righteous women led the Jewish people. These women, they are righteous, they are brave, and they are about to have a child, that is going to change the face of the Jewish people in the world. They just need a little bit of help. When they see that somebody is actually willing to help them, they understand that they are not alone. They are calmer. They are not jumping from joy. Their pregnancy still might be difficult, and their situation might be difficult, but when that baby's born, they come to us, sometimes directly from the hospital and say, ‘You've helped give me the greatest gift in my life. My own child. You've been there at the most critical point of my life and now here is this child,’ which obviously we're going to support after the baby's born.”
Efrat also provides assistance to the women themselves who are looking to "get back on their feet after the birth."
Salomon is proud to say that, “Efrat has helped save over 86,500 Jewish babies in Israel, but the real story begins with the woman. We are a women's empowerment organization, period. Meaning, we’re there by the side of a woman at her most critical juncture in her life and the life of her child. But we also want to make sure that she can stand on her own two feet, so we've created a program that's been very successful in the last two years called Rise Up, where we provide vocational training, assistance and make sure they actually complete the course. In Israel one of the difficult things when trying to train with a young child at home is paying for daycare. We fund that daycare. We want to make sure that the woman succeeds in her path, and we stand by her side. Then she takes it from there.”
Efrat is very proud of its activities and is now calling on the public to assist, to become a partner in helping these women have their babies and raise them with pride.
Salomon says that, “Right before Pesach (Passover), when we ask every poor person to sit and be part of our table, we don't want anyone not to be able to partake of the mitzvah of matzah. Some of these children who won't be born are not going to even make it to that table. We're asking everybody, who it's near and dear to their hearts, to extend this beautiful Seder table, to make sure that not only will we support the current women that they should have food on their table, but to make sure that their table will grow year after year.”
Nir Salomon asked to end with a story, “We're right before Pesach. Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, the former Chief Rabbi of Israel, said an amazing thing. There are two organizations that bring Redemption to this world. Who knows more than all of these women how difficult it is sometimes to become pregnant. So, he said, the first organization is Machon Pua, who make sure that the woman becomes pregnant. The second organization is Efrat that makes sure that once the woman has already become pregnant, that child will actually be given a chance at life. ‘In order to bring Mashiach,’ says Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu, ‘we need to make sure that all of these children come to life, so that Mashiach will come.’ So here's an opportunity to build your table, make sure there's food on it and bring Mashiach.”