A young woman, unfortunately going through chemo for a second round, had one child who attended the Free Hebrew School (kind of an equivalent to Release Time in New York).
I gently, but consistently, spoke to her about Mikvah, hoping to encourage her to go.
By the grace of Hashem she went to the mikvah. She found it so inspiring! I was thrilled. I told her to tell her friends and family about it. Her enthusiasm would surely inspire others!
She had a sister who, sadly, had lost a child, her only child. This sister spent years going through one fertility treatment after the other, with no success. Our young woman convinced her to go to the mikvah.
The sister agreed and went to mikvah, and one short month later, at age 51, she called her sister to tell her she was pregnant!!
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There was a woman whose husband volunteered in our Friendship Circle. I did not know his background, or level of Torah observance. One day, he begins speaking in Yiddish! Well we all know that, unfortunately, speaking Yiddish is not a true indicator of Torah observance, but the fact that he spoke such beautiful Yiddish had to mean something!
I met his wife, Natania, and discovered that they had been married for many years, but had not been blessed with children. Natania is a lovely lady and as we spoke more and more, I felt comfortable asking her if she kept Mikvah, or had ever been to mikvah. She told me that she goes to mikvah. Again, I was uncertain of her level of knowledge and suggested that she organize a Halacha Review of Taharas Hamishpacha in her home. I explained the importance of a periodic Halacha Review and how often the Rebbe would advise couples to review these crucial halachos
Natania organized the review, as I worked diligently to find just the right speaker. I had quite a hard time finding someone available at a time that worked for all. Finally, I found Amanda Sculnik Spiro, who I had to convince to come speak. Amanda, had one child, and prayed for more children. She told me that I have to promise her that if she agreed to speak, that she would have a child! I told her that certainly the Rebbe would give her a bracha for a child!
It was a bitterly cold night in Montreal. There was a great turnout for the review, women of all backgrounds came, even two brides had come, eager to learn. Everyone was touched and inspired. Amanda did a beautiful job. We were even able to convince one of the brides, who was not Orthodox observant, to have an Orthodox ceremony going to the mikvah first!
Another of the women, who was pregnant and who had never been to mikvah, heard that it is a segulah to go to mikvah at a time that a woman who desires to conceive is going so that the woman trying to conceive can immerse right after the pregnant woman. She invited Natania to allow her to immerse when Natania had to go so Natania could benefit from the segulah. All in all, it was a wonderful evening.
Around a month later, Natanias husband came to our Friendship Circle, all excited and happy. Natania is expecting! We were of course thrilled! Thank G-d! Such wonderful news.
But the story does not end there
Around five months after the review class, during our Friendship Circle Walkathon, I ran into Amanda Skolnik. So happy to see her, we spoke a few moments, then Amanda pulled aside the wrap she was wearing to show me that she was, by the grace of Hashem, five months pregnant!
And the story continues
Around eight months after this now amazing event, I run into a young woman. I really did not recall where I had seen her before, but she remembered me. She reminded me that she was the bride, who decided to marry Orthodox, and therefore went to Mikvah before her wedding. That first immersion so moved her, that she continued going to Mikvah on a monthly basis and had recently discovered that she was pregnant. Even though her physician had told her that due to her medical history, she would have a very difficult time conceiving.
Three wonderful and deeply touching stories all from ONE Halacha Review!