One lone man standing up to the ancient world’s superpower, shouting, “Mi LaShem Eilai! I’m going to fight for my God and His Torah!”

One small country staring down the modern world’s hatred, declaring, “We’re going to fight and we’re going to survive!”

One couple facing disheartening news: “The procedure didn’t work, we don’t know if you’ll ever—” and insisting, “We’re going to keep on trying, keep on fighting for the family we want to build.”

It takes dedication to fight for your dream. But it takes a unique kind of dedication to fight an against-all-odds fight.

This is our strength and our miracle: this ability to respond to impossible odds by doubling down on our commitment to our dream and our future.

Here are some modern-day examples of what this dedication looks like.

Daniella’s Story

After several years of dating, I was thrilled when I met Levi. But I also knew that my challenges wouldn’t end at the chuppah. I’d suffered my entire life from a debilitating genetic disease, and I had a 50% chance of passing this condition on to my child.

Soon after our wedding, we were reaching out to PUAH.

Their rabbinic counselor explained that, with a combination of IVF and preimplantation genetic testing, we could give our children the best chance for a healthy future. We couldn’t wait to get started.

Our first round of IVF felt like the exciting first step of a journey. We could practically feel our baby in our arms!

Until … it was over. We didn’t succeed in producing any viable embryos. Based on those results, our doctor advised us to prepare for a long haul—chances were, we would need multiple rounds, and even then, there were no guarantees.

Levi and I looked at each other. Multiple rounds?! For only a small chance of success? IVF is physically draining, emotionally stressful and prohibitively expensive.

Could we?

But how could we not? How could we not give it every shot we had, explore every resource, and reach out, however uncomfortable it was, for whatever assistance we needed?

Because we had a home to build, a Jewish family to create, and we refused to give up on our dream to build it.

Rebecca’s Story

I got married at age 43. As you can imagine, my husband and I were both coming off of many long, painful years of dating, and we were both so hopeful as we finally started married life. But our happiness was soon overshadowed by infertility challenges.

By now, I’ve been through five unsuccessful IVF cycles, undergone several painful procedures and suffered countless emotional and physical difficulties. One of the procedures even led to a severe infection that landed me in the hospital.

When my doctors told me that my only viable option to become a mother at this point is through egg donation, I was heartbroken. I wouldn’t have a genetic connection to my child, the one I’ve waited for and dreamed of for decades?

It’s taken time for me to come to terms with my grief, to understand that this is the journey to parenthood that Hashem prepared for me. PUAH has been a lifeline in this journey, giving me guidance, emotional support and the confidence to move forward. They’ve also introduced me to other women who’ve gone through the egg donation process, which has given me so much strength.

It’s not the path to motherhood that I’d dreamed of all these years, but I’ve found the strength to move forward with it. Because I’m determined to build my family, to bring a precious Jewish soul into this world.

Tamar’s Story

Ten years ago, I was diagnosed with a complex hormonal condition that I was told would severely impact my fertility. It was a big blow, but I’d hoped at the time to be able to navigate the challenge together with my husband.

Ten years later, I was turning 34 and still not married. For now, my hormonal condition had stabilized, but I knew that my advancing age together with my condition meant that whenever I did meet my husband, having a baby would be a major challenge.

Becoming a wife and a mother is in Hashem’s hands. But I also knew that there was a step I could take to help me fulfill my dream of parenthood. So I decided to freeze my eggs now, while my medical condition was still stable.

The decision made so much sense, but unfortunately, the biggest barrier for me was the cost. Egg freezing costs a significant amount of money, and as someone who’d been unemployed for a while, I simply had no way of raising these funds. Someone suggested I reach out to PUAH for assistance. It was the best advice I got. Aside from giving me a financial grant, they guided me through the entire process, helping me to feel confident in my decision.

It’s not easy to be freezing my eggs at age 34 when I’d hoped to be married and raising a family by now. But I’m doing it for my future—because I refuse to give up on my belief that, one day, I’ll have a baby of my own.

Reuven and Aliza’s Story

With the ongoing war and rising global antisemitism, we felt that we wanted to do something to bring light into this darkness, to declare to the world that Am Yisrael is still alive and strong, and will continue to thrive for generations to come.

What better way to make that statement, we decided, than by helping to bring new Jewish babies into this world? By helping women like Daniella, Rebecca and Tamar get the assistance they need to achieve their dreams?

This is how we’ve survived against all odds, generation after generation.

Whether you are seeking to build your own family, or would like to help another Jewish couple build theirs, this commitment to rededicate ourselves, even in dark times, to the dream of building yet another Jewish bayis, is the secret of our survival-—and the strength that will ultimately lead to the chanukas habayis of the third Beis Hamikdash–—may it be soon!