Mea Shearim – For 33 years, the Rebbe of the Mevakshei Emunah Hasidism in Jerusalem prayed for a miracle that would help his wife become pregnant and give him a son.
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On Friday it almost happened: At the age of 52, Rabbi Yoel Kahn’s wife gave birth to twin girls, which brought him a lot of happiness but not the heir he had been waiting for.
Rabbi Kahn and his wife, both offspring of noble ultra-Orthodox families, were married in Jerusalem in 1978 and settled in the neighborhood of Mea Shearim. They tried to conceive a child for years, but were unsuccessful despite dozens of fertility treatments and the family members’ prayers.
Rabbi Kahn is the younger brother of the leaders of the Toldot Aharon and Toldot Avraham Yitzhak Hasidism, whose members are nicknamed “zebras” due to their striped coats. Thirteen years ago he founded his own small Hasidism, called Mevakshei Emunah.
The Hasidism is comprised of only 30 families, but every week the Rebbe visits a different community in Israel in a bid to recruit followers, and so many people across the country were aware of the couple’s attempts to conceive and prayed for the fertility treatments’ success.
All that time, the Rebbe himself was not worried. His followers say he was convinced he would eventually become a father. According to rumors in the Hasidism, before his death the Rebbe’s father promised his son that he would have children.
Eventually, the Rebbetzin became pregnant and gave birth to twin girls at the age of 52, after 33 years of infertility. The babies were born on pregnancy week 31 and were immediately placed in an incubator.
According to sources in the Hasidism, the rabbi’s wife initially carried three fetuses – two girls and a boy – but the boy did not survive.
Rabbi Kahn’s Hasidim rushed to the hospital to celebrate the joyous occasion with drinks and dances. “It’s a Purim miracle,” one of them said. “We are called ‘Mevakshei Emunah’ (faith seekers), and now we see that three decades of faith did help.”
Another Hasid explained that “today fertility treatments are not such a big deal in the haredi sector, and anyone who needs them can do it. Judaism wants us to try to have children, and even if people don’t talk about it – it’s clear to everyone that treatments were involved.”
And what about a successor to lead the Hasidism after the Rebbe’s death? The Hasidim are not giving up and hope Rabbi Kahn will still have a son. “You can have children till the age of 55,” one of them says. “We continue to pray with complete faith that our rabbi will also be blessed with a son.”
“At the age of 52, Rabbi Yoel Kahn’s wife gave birth to twin girls, which brought him a lot of happiness but not the heir he had been waiting for.”
He’s not going to gripe about this, is he? Here’s a thought– since his daughters are almost certainly going to have arranged marriages, why not pick an appropriate successor as a son-in-law?
Or a son-in-law failing that – either way we will see
May one or both of the girls become the next Rebbecca Gratz, Sarah Schnirer, or Nechama Leibowitz!
Mazeltov! It’s wonderful news. May the babies give their parents much Yiddishe, Chassidishe nachas. But what is wrong with daughters? It’s such a terrible thing if one has ehrliche sons-in-law instead? Are they worried about not having a Kaddishel? This obsession with sons is ridiculous. Remember the old adage: “a son is a son till he takes him a wife; a daughter’s a daughter all of her life.”
Believe me, the best daughter-in-law is not the same as a daughter. The parents shouldn’t be obsessing about not having a son; rather, they should enjoy the babies they were given by G-d. Now we understand why many (B”H not all) Chassidim treat their wives & daughters as second-class citizens. I’m Chassidish, so I know what I’m talking about.
First, i wish the Rebbe a hearthfull Mazel Tov. may the children be well and bring much of nachas to the Rebbe and the Rebetzin.
now afew comments on this article.
1) The Rebbe’s last name is Kohn and not Kahn
2) “twin girls, which brought him a lot of happiness but not the heir he had been waiting for.” how stupit can one be to write such a comment. i’m sure the Rebbe can’t be any happier than he’s now, being able to hold two baby girls
3) “whose members are nicknamed “zebras””. never heard this nickname. if anything, they’re called “Reb Arolach”
4) “every week the Rebbe visits a different community in Israel in a bid to recruit followers”. anybody who knows the Rebbe would be able to tell you how far this is from the truth. the Rebbe is in no way trying to “recruit followers”. his only goal is to warm up yidden to improve in Torah and mitzvos. in fact, the rebbe hasn’t even established his own shul.
“According to sources in the Hasidism, the rabbi’s wife initially carried three fetuses – two girls and a boy”
is this what Chasidim are busy with?
She should be zocheh to have sons also.
what is wrong with having girls? Having any child, boy or girl, after so many years of childlessness is a bracha and should be treated as such. I am ashamed at so many yidden saying “well at least there will be a good son in law”. Why can’t you accept your daughters for who they are and not as somoene who can bring in a good son in law? Rashi only had daughters and look who came from them! These statements are not understandable, and are shocking to say the least. Someone had a Nes done for them, a double Nes actually. And all people say is “too bad it wasnt a girl”, “She can have kids till 55 and have a boy next?” “they can pick their son in law”!!!??!?!?
These comments remind me of an incident after my oldest daughters birth after 5 years of marriage.
A friend wishes me a joyus mazel tov when an aquantence came over asking what the mazel tov was for. I responded that my wife gave birth to a girl. His reaction was- “Such a mazel tov for a girl”. He felt pretty awkward when he was told the details.
I wonder how the chassidim knew that there were three fetuses and that one was a boy? This speculation regarding the need for an heir and successor sounds to me that it is the chassidim’s opinion, I don’t believe this is the Rebbe’s opinion.
Does anyone know where can I find out more about the type of fertility treatment they had? (For personal reasons, not because I’m a yenta.) After 33 years – it is unlikely this is some run-of-the-mill treatment (but still possible I guess considering they are such choshuve people).
According to mishne berura one girl is enough. He has now one too much!. Can someone please tell us who is rebettzen is. His two older brothers are both rebbes, his offspring would be far down the line and unlikely to become on yichus alone. Maybe a SIL would have a much better chance!
To #15 , All this speculation is not R Yossels opinion and not the chassidim’s opinion. It is just the writer of this article trying to spice things up with sensational rubbish..
Mazel Tov Mazal Tov!!
mazel tov, mazel tov….just curios, but since it’s purim time…are the girls’ names esther, malkah or haddassah? may they always bring nachas to the parents and all family members 🙂
Even a simcha turns into a contoversy. Imagine a world without controversy!
An heir for what? Why is one needed? If its for his nechosim, than a Daughter is Yoreshes if there are no sons. If its to take over his shteller, its not necessary, anyone that is a qualified Rov, can attract his own followers. There doesnt specifically have to be A Mevakshei Emunah Rebbe.
If her frozen embryos lasted for more than 10 years, she’d no doubt have had a bunch of babies by now from embryo transfers. And if the issue is that she was unable to carry a pregnancy to term, I doubt very much she’d be carrying a twin pregnancy successfully. Either way, it’s their business. But I think all infertile frum couples should be encouraged by this to explore all their options when it comes to having children. Like it or not, sometimes we have to rely on modern technology to become parents, and we should be grateful that such things exist.