A newborn boy, whose mother is hospitalized in Hadassah Ein Kerem for having contracted the Covid-19 coronavirus, was born without contracting the disease. He then had his bris milah in the hospital with the former Chief Rabbi of Israel HaRav Shlomo Moshe Amar participating.

The boy’s mother, identified as Ronnie, had tested positive for COVID-19, and gave birth to the healthy baby boy with the help of a midwife wearing protective gear.

Ronnie was excited to say “goodbye” to the staff who had been treating her in the secluded compound for the past 10 days. “Thanks to the Corona Department staff, despite the psychological challenges of being kept away from my baby with me being the [sick one], I managed to get through it,” she said.

“It was important that we stay apart so I wouldn’t infect him…I had the support of the Hadassah staff and knew that he was being kept safe and secure. I’m grateful to the dedicated and caring staff at the Corona Unit, to the social worker who never stopped worrying about me…[and discussing every issue that arose], and nursery attendants who sent pictures every day and personally updated me on my baby’s condition.”

Ronnie adds: “I will never forget how one nurse would visit me on a regular basis and just send more and more pictures [of my baby] as well as Irina Shiblin, the head nurse in the ward. Knowing he was healthy gave me strength. They all treated him with affection and made sure he was healthy as if he was their own baby. It was so touching.”

“They allowed me to zoom in on the ceremony. The midwives who took care of me all came to the brit and one of them, Noa Ben Yair, handed the baby to the mohel,” said Ronnie.

Ronnie’s family will be taking the baby home and caring for him until hi mother makes a full recovery. “Magen David Adom will [test us for the virus] and we will bring him home only once we test negative,” said one of the family members.

The head nurse at the infectious disease unit in Hadassah Dorit Sorka said: “This is a complex time and it’s difficult for all employees at the unit to be away from home [for so long], but for Ronnie, it was that much harder. She knew it was for the sake of her baby and her family and tried to stay strong for them. We were happy to encourage and support her because she was being kept apart from her baby. We made sure to allow her to recover and… tried to lift up her spirits in every way possible. We took pictures, videos and did everything we could just to make her happy.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)