09.07.2011                      07.Tammus, 5771                      Balak

Demographie:

How many children is enough for Israelis?

While recent data show that the birthrate is gradually declining in their communities, some Haredi women still opt for large families – and careers, too.

Each time, the news was declared as if a gong was being sounded: "Mazal tov – you have a new sister." That imaginary gong was struck every year until I was 10 years old. However, when my brother was born, I was still a baby and I guess nobody troubled to formally inform me about it.
In any case, one day, during an ordinary afternoon and without any prior warning, my father turned up in the yard where we used to play. His appearance, before sundown, was unusual; most of the time he was busy with his own affairs and did not have contact with his children. This time, however, he came over and reported the news of yet another birth dryly, standing by the carriage I was guarding, which as usual had two toddlers, my little sisters, inside. There was no happiness in his voice….