In what can only be described as a tragedy, a 44-year-old Sderot mother died of meningitis 90 minutes after the bris of her son.
The woman was transferred to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital two weeks ago in serious condition. Because she was in her ninth month, the decision was made to deliver her child by C-section.
In the meantime, mom’s condition continued to deteriorate and she was admitted to a respiratory intensive care unit in the hope of saving her life.
On Sunday, two weeks following the birth, the family gathered in the hospital’s shul for the bris, along with the newborn’s five siblings, 2, 5, 11, 14, and 16.
About 90 minutes later, after he was given the name Yonatan, as was his mother’s wish, doctors called the family to the intensive care unit. Chaya Ariel, a social worker assigned to the respiratory ICU stated it was the most difficult sight in her life. “It was a real heart-beaker” she explained.
“It took two week until the child could have a bris, and only then could his mother leave this world,” she stated. “I saw the children in their Shabbos suits and dad, holding his new son’s hand. Then, the news – there was not a dry eye anywhere to be seen”.
The mohel, Rav Avraham Vaknin from Tiveria was also choked up, stating “I really though she would come out of it”. The rav explained the doctors waited for two weeks to permit the infant to gain some weight. “I never imagined that the family would escort their mother to her funeral in their Shabbos clothes, which they wore for the simcha of the bris”.
Hospital officials explain the woman’s condition was very serious upon her arrival and had she been brought in sooner, they would have been able to save her.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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6 Responses
“Baruch Dayan HaEmes” , HKB”H should give the family strength to come through this. So sad.
What a tragedy. Baruch Dayan HaEmet.
oy vey! Such a sad story. We should only hear good news.
Interesting statement by the doctors.
” Because she was in her ninth month, the decision was made to deliver her child by C-section.”????????????
israeli doctors have a reputation of wanting to “cut” too fast. it happens in america too, but we would say vecause of the insurance. in israel, i dont know.
a cousin of mine died two days after delivering in israel. dont know if it was a c-section, but it had to do with the anesthetist. in america, (s)he would be sued. in israel, nothing!
I’m glad the doctors thought they could have saved the woman’s life had she been brought in earlier! It seems HaKadosh Baruch Hu had something else in mind.
Baruch Dayan Ha’emes.