The Karliner Rebbe once quipped with me that he heard PUAH was closing down. “Really?” I asked. “Yes, the Mashiach is coming, and PUAH will not be needed,” he replied with a big smile.
I have thought often about this comical exchange. What would happen in a world without PUAH? What would it look like if PUAH were not here?
Jay and Sharon, who had already been married for four years without children, would have nowhere to turn. They were worried about going to the doctor because they were concerned that they would be told to do something that contradicts their religious lifestyle, and they did not really understand the language. They spoke Hebrew quite well, having been living in Israel for several years, but there is a big difference between buying milk and bread in the supermarket and dealing with intricate and complex medical terms. Without PUAH, they would still not have children.
But PUAH is here, and Jay and Sharon had somewhere to turn. They were able to get the best medical advice in English. The counselor who sat with them explained the process, listened to their concerns, and was able to give them hope. They came to PUAH lost, and left feeling that someone was with them every step of the way. They had a contact they could call whenever they needed advice, guidance, explanations, or were confused and concerned.
With PUAH’s help, Jay and Sharon now have three healthy children.
If PUAH were not here, Yael would not have found the direction and courage to undergo egg freezing. Yael had become more religious, and, at the age of 32, she moved to Jerusalem, hoping to find a suitable husband. Unfortunately, after two years, she was still single and examining her options.
She did not want to give up hope of getting married and having children, but she was concerned that time was running out. She was frightened to consider egg freezing; it seemed to her like giving up on her hopes and dreams. It was also very expensive, and she did not know if she could afford it.
A friend recommended that she contact PUAH, and from that moment, her life changed. The counselor at PUAH was so friendly and helpful. She guided Yael through the process and explained that far from giving up, this was proof of her belief and trust in the Almighty. Since PUAH had a strong relationship with hospitals, it was able to offer a much cheaper price for the egg freezing procedure.
Yael froze her eggs, and two years later, she was married and pregnant with her first child. Without PUAH, none of this would have happened.
Without PUAH’s help, Eli and Rochie would not have healthy children. They were a young couple with their whole life ahead of them when their first child was born. But there were problems, and the doctors ran lots of tests. It was discovered that the child had a rare and fatal genetic abnormality. Eli and Rochie were devastated, and as they mourned for their son, they felt completely lost.
Until they came to PUAH, where the counselor, who is also a genetic counselor, was able to answer all their questions and direct them to undergo pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. This procedure identifies potential genetic abnormalities at the earliest stage of fertilization. This procedure has its complications, and PUAH was able to explain them, give halakhic and medical answers, and supervise the treatment to ensure there was no possibility of human error occurring in the fertility laboratory. This alleviated all of Eli and Rochie’s concerns.
The social worker at PUAH was also able to console them and give them the necessary emotional support they lacked. They left PUAH with greater confidence that they would have healthy children.
Eli and Rochie stayed in constant contact with the PUAH staff and were delighted to invite several PUAH staff members to the brit of their beautiful, healthy son, Chayim.
These are just three of the hundreds of stories that are told every day at PUAH. Thousands of couples turn annually to PUAH for guidance, support, advice, halakhic answers, and a helping hand.
PUAH continues to help all those who turn to us, and we turn to you to help us help the next couple, the next person, the next question, the next problem.
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