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Chaim’s forehead. Moish and Yosef both hold Chaim’s patients out to clinics with unreasonable wait lists and
hands, and Chaim slows his pace as Moish whines. unsavory clientele.
Chaim looks over at the bachurim dancing up a storm
Bonei Olam Montreal’s Reproductive Center opened
and smiles as he remembers when he too, had free
this past year with three missions:
hands and was able to dance.
1. No couple should wait more than seven days
“Got your hands full?” Chaim looks over. It’s Yehuda,
between their initial phone call and seeing a doctor for
his chavrusa, and while Yehuda grins, Chaim winces
inwardly. Yehuda’s shoulders are also full- seven year an initial consultation
old Shuey is perched proudly above his father’s head-
2. No couple should leave the initial consultation
but nobody is holding either of Yehuda’s hands. Shuey
without spending at least an hour with the doctor.
is an only child, and while Chaim and Yehuda have Compared with the 5-10 minute consultations in other
never discussed it, seven years in, the contrast now clinics, that hour is invaluable, allowing couples to
hits them both squarely between the eyes.
leave with their concerns allayed instead of feeling
more confused and overwhelmed than before they
entered.
“Avinu Malkeinu, chamol al olaleinu v’tapeinu!”
3. In order to ensure confidentiality, there should never
It’s Mincha on Yom Kippur, and Michael stands in be more than one couple at a time in the Bonei Olam
shul, pleading along with everyone else. But while the office.
majority of friends in shul are begging for the regular
Each of these three missions sounded like mission
for their children- continued good health, good friends,
impossible, but astoundingly, with unbelievable
and success in school, Michael’s pleas are far more
profound. forethought and effort, they all came to fruition. Rabbi
Hersh M. Feferkorn, director of Bonei Olam Canada,
Hashem, he pleads silently. Only You know. We finished is clear on the success of the reproductive center.
the testing, and it’s confirmed- Ariel’s syndrome is “Today, tens of couples are being seen at the Bonei
genetic. It’s bad enough watching him suffer with the Olam Reproductive Center, and they’re doing it in the
physical aspects- but what does his future hold? Who most dignified and confidential way possible,” he says
will marry him? How will he have healthy children? with pride.
Mrs. Carinne Dahan, nurse practitioner at the clinic,
is similarly effusive: “cutting out the wait times and
For Ruchi, Yehuda, and Michael, the pain is so real, and hassles of Montreal’s clinics has really helped us help
the loneliness is so profound. And while their friends
couples faster than ever before. We have couples who
and families may not get it or be able to help, there
previously would have had to wait months for an initial
is an address out there which can assist them: Bonei
consultation, and over a year to complete testing,
Olam. who are now completing treatments successfully with
us after just two or three months. That’s babies born.
Bonei Olam’s counselors provide guidance and
That’s huge!”
support to anyone trying to navigate the complicated
journey surrounding fertility issues. “The myriad details
“We help couples experiencing just about anything
and instructions which any couple going through
remotely related to fertility challenges,” says Mrs. Frumi
fertility issues needs to be aware of is completely
Perlstein, head mashgicha for Bonei Olam Montreal.
overwhelming,” says Mrs. Sara Donath, counselor at “But no matter who they are or what they’re dealing
Bonei Olam Montreal. “Holding their hands and giving with, we’re here for them.”
them a map is so necessary- it’s a service that can’t
even be looked at as optional.” After guiding couples to the right treatments and the
appropriate doctors and clinics, Bonei Olam stands by
And far from just offering referrals and guidance,
to fund treatments which are too expensive for young
Bonei Olam in Montreal now offers in-house medical
couples. Rabbi Feferkorn puts it succinctly: “annually,
services, drastically cutting down the need to refer we fund hundreds of thousands of dollars in treatment
for couples right here in Canada. Bonei Olam believes
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