PEF supports many battered women’s shelters in Israel.  Noach Korman, executive director of Bat Melech, a shelter for Orthodox women, shared the following story of new life and new beginnings…

During the Chag a woman from our Bet Shemesh shelter gave birth to a baby boy.  This woman married a dentist who abused her cruely and she escaped to our shelter with her four children.  Last Friday we made a Brit Milah.  The father and his family were not involved but they surprisingly showed up.
Our staff took care of everything.  First of all Yael, the house mother, went with the woman to the hospital and stayed with her until the baby was born and everything was okay.  It was on Friday and Yael came back to her home just before Shabbat.  Then the women at the shelter and the staff took care of the other four children until their mother came back from the hospital.  Secondly we made the Brit with the help of the staff and other great people.  We got the hall for free, the Mohel volunteered and also the photographer, all the food was cooked and donated by one of our board members.
Researchs show that boys who were witnesses to their father’s abuse become abusive themselves and therefore it was moving to know that this baby thank God will not be part of these statistics.
During the meal the father asked to speak and he said that he understands the marriage has ended and he promised to get divorced immediately.

Pictured: Mirriam our Sherut Leumi volunteer (national volunteer) with the baby.