Tel Aviv, Israel – An Israeli woman in her mid-40’s has given birth to her 18th child in 21 years, accumulating a combined total of 14 years pregnancy, and she and her husband are planning their 19th.
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The ultra-Orthodox couple have 12 boys and six girls. The most recent was born yesterday, one week after the oldest child celebrated her 21st birthday.
“I cannot say I was as moved as I was with the first child, but each baby brings with it its own excitement and blessing,” the woman explained.
She said, perhaps not surprisingly, that since she has been visiting the delivery room at Kaplan hospital, in the city of Rehovot, for 21 years, “I feel part of the staff.”
Ultra-Orthodox Jews regard birth control as a sin.
“Ultra-Orthodox Jews regard birth control as a sin” That is not 100% true. some do and most do not.
What does “planning their 19th” mean?
Was the line about birth control necessary? It sounds like Parohs complaint about the Bnei Yisroel having too many children!
Mazel Tov! Iy’h By all of us
There has to be some limits. Hashem did not create women as “baby machines”. This woman has spent half of her adult life in pregnancy. Who is taking care of the other 17 children since I suspect the father is sitting in a bes medrash somewhere learning. Who is supporting these yinglach. Hopefully, this family is an exception and they have a good parnassah but the statistics don’t lie. The large percentage of “large” orthodox families in EY (6 children and over) are receiving some level of government welfare.
I view having more kids then u can handle a sin…
Mazal Tov !
I would like to know what they live on?
How can they afford to support all these kids? Any plans for a reality tv series like the Duggars(who also have 18 children) or like John and Kate Plus 8? I heard that the John &Kate get $75,000 per weekly tv episode, and made something like $10 million from the show. Let’s see if Nadia Suleman makes plenty from a reality tv show.
is she going to be the book of world records for the most children a lady ever had
I’m sure there will be a number of postings saying how wonderful it is to have so many babies, and that hashem will somehow provide for their support. The reality, though, is that each year, the ultra-orthodox demand more and more money from the government to provide subsidies to these families. We have had this debate on VIN many times but the bottom line seems to be that some believe that women should continue having as many children as they are physically capable of bearing and not to worry about thier upbringing and how to pay for them.
All this sensation that the media likes to make.
During the Holocaust when a mothers with 18 childern where gassed and burned, nobody found it newsworthy.
as long she can handle tham and the children isn’t being neglected.
VIN, don’t you know that bouchrim and bopys read these articles so why are you writting about B C thins they don’t need to know about!!
tuition is the best birth control
I dont see the big chiddush here..
Take a look in willi or KJ or even BP or Meah Shearim. There are a nice amount af families with 18 children bla”h…
They should be an example for the Jewish Nation. and #5 is correct.
By and large I have seen the children of large families are more caring and take more responsibilty and less demanding then that of small families.
Hashem is our strength and certainly gives each one the Koichos to fulfill his/her shlichus in this world. May they have a lot of nachas from all their children.
Birth Control is not a sin when used correctly, meaning with a rav’s consent. I think people have to remember that there is more to having babies then making big numbers! You have to actually be able to be a mother to all these children and that’s the most important thing to keep in mind! If she’s able to do that then hats off to her!
How do two parents manage to support so many children and give each one sufficient time and attention?
reply to #11 you must not be married
To all you economic worrywarts out there, Chazal say nolad tinok v’kikaro imo – a boy is born & his loaf (sustenance) is with him.
were will they find a name? kol hakovod to her husband! also with such big kids her older ones can take charge
We have been blessed with 4 kids & B”H expecting our fifth.
They are quite close in age. This is worlds greatest blessing. We are not rich but we live with out luxary. Our kids are happy & well adjusted and doing well in school. Is it hard? Yes – children are not easy and we have to work to rais them. When I look at each one of my kids I see how each one brought blessing and joy in there own special way.
Im sure this mother of 18 looks at each one of her children in that way. Its not another baby – its a child and neshomah. And who said she is unhappy & misrable and nebach on the kids – im sure she is happy and a great mother.
I know of someone that was brought up in a family of 17 children – it was not easy – they are all the most amazing kids – today each one of the men are big Rabbi’s in diff. communities.
“Take a look in willi or KJ or even BP or Meah Shearim. There are a nice amount af families with 18 children bla”h…”
Not quite. Perhaps there may be enough with 6 or 8 children, however very few frum women have more than 10 children.
There is no indication anywhere that they are less then examplary parents of happy and attended to children. Why do people assume otherwise. Especially as the anti charedi press could not find something negative to say which you know they would love to do. Why does it have to be commenters on a frum web site to complain about a wondeful fmily that is so blessed with children.
I know of families larger than this that are well adjusted and do not find the concept difficult to believe.
Economically it is better for a government for folks to have lots and lots of children. Because people are a natural resource (which is why Stalin gave incentives for women to have many babies in Communist Russia). Here in the USA, part of the reason why Social Security and Medicaid will be defunct soon is that Americans carefully budget for their babies and don’t have many of them — which means our workforce will not be able to ensure enough income to support our elderly. And withing Israel, it is vitally important the large numbers of kids, cuz the only population growing as fast as the Chareidim are the Arabs. If you guys have your way and limit the Chareidi babies births, guess what — there will be twenty Arabs to every Jew within a couple of years. Not very smart planning.
Pru U’Revu — Umalah Ha’Aretz.
ultra orthodox jews do not consider birth control a sin.
today you can get a heter very easily…. i am ultra orthodox and have many relatives who are really chassidish and they are using birth control.
I’m not talking about this specific family….but if there are people out there who can not handle having a baby every year…then for the sake of their shalom bayis and their children and their sanity…they should seek a heter.
and when speaking to the rav be very clear as to why you feel that you need one…so that they give you one right away and for the length of time needed. if one rav doesn’t feel it neccesary then get another rav that will give you one.
you know your abilities….
I know this family personally they are a very nice family and are highly respected in their community all the kids are very well behaved and the parents are the most amazing people even with all the kids who they do a wonderful job raising they are still always busy with chesed and will drop whatever their soing to help another yid
Mazel tov! Children are the guarantors of the Torah and as such, Israel and the whole Jewish people should support them physically and their Torah study. Unless necessary for the mother’s health, birth control is not sanctioned by the Torah , which views children as a blessing from G-d. Judaism believes that all success coms from G-d and G-d commanded us to be fruitful and multiply.
The only people who regard birth control as a sin are Catholics. It is not a Jewish view at all. Lehavdil
There is no doubt that some of the 18 kids are gonna result with psychological traumas, same like only children always have. Sociologically speaking only lower cultural level classes have these large amounts of children, never academics, intellectuals or grads of higher education. See stats.
Wow! 62 comments about the family issues of people we don’t know in six hours.
YENTAS. NISHTFARGINERS.
Reply to 61
If you are still a Miss, what business do you have commenting on issues like birth control. These are things which are discussed prior to marriage in kalle classes. Procreation is not a subject for you untill it’s your turn. I don’t know how old you are, but if you are over 18, I wish you hatzlacha in finding your zivug. Till then, don’t meddle in married people’s issues!
The fact that a woman can carry and give birth to 18 (or more) children doesn’t mean that you have to do it. A car can be driven at 160 m.p.h. and still very few use that speed, right?Isn’t our body made in form and image of Hashem? Abusing your G-d given body (as a woman) is as bad as tattoos, piercings or flagelations. Of course, ignoramuses don’t know it, they just take the pru irbu rule because it rhymes so nicely….
I really hate to say this, but birth control in the form of pills is NOT considered a sin, if it were, most frum ladies would be sinning at some point in their life! While it is true that children are a blessing (and a men’s mitzva), it is NOT a mitzva to have a 100 kids. We also have to teach ourkids responsibility, by being responsible ourselves. I wonder how they make ends meet, as the guy probably is a full time learner and mom’s at home. Taking social benefits for a living is NOT considered responsible and I think a BAD example for their kids!
did they upgrade from a 15 passenger to “mein gaila bus” yet? oh my oh my… 18 kids… ouch!
sorry don’t think there is anything beautiful about this talk to the kid’s teachers and the neighbors and the big kids and of course the big no no to talk about , but maybe the husband wants to have a wife who for at least a year or two isn’t pregnant?? And no one plans # 19 by the time you are up to number 8 or 9 you clearly aren’t the planning type
To all the big machmirim out there, if almost everyone gets a heter for birth control, then the issur is obviously almost nonexistent . The Rabbonim who assur birth control all the time are living with their heads in the sand, because almost no one listens to them, and for good reason.
Her life, her body and it’s only her and her husbands business to do as they choose with it.
allan, #102 , sorry, when I get pamphlets in the mail begging for help, or when chesed organizations come knocking on my door to help the needy of Israel, it affects me as well.
and I say again- as a teacher for a very very long time- 99% of the kids from homes like this-especially kids so close in age- suffer greatly from lack of stimulation and interaction with parents.