When Her Baby Fell, Her Faith Rose Higher Than Ever

It’s hard to imagine a more terrifying moment for a mother than the one Tal Ben Atar faced just four months ago. Only 24 years old, she suddenly found herself rushing to the hospital with her five-month-old baby, Neria Efraim, after he fell from a changing table at daycare and suffered a skull fracture. It was every parent’s worst nightmare.

“My mother-in-law, who works at the daycare, called me in a panic,” Tal recalled. “She said, ‘Come quickly, the baby fell and fractured his skull.’ At first, I didn’t understand how serious it was. I thought maybe it was just a surface wound, something a little iodine would take care of.”

On the way to the clinic in Acre, she picked up her husband, Shlomi, from work. They tried to stay calm, but when Tal saw her son, her world collapsed. “I didn’t recognize him. His head was crushed, there was blood everywhere, and he looked distant and unresponsive. My whole body was shaking. I couldn’t breathe. I completely broke down. I was overwhelmed with fear and couldn’t function.”

An ambulance took little Neria Efraim straight to the hospital in Nahariya. “The paramedics told me it would be okay, but at the same time we were racing there in five minutes, a drive that usually takes twenty. That scared me even more.”

At the hospital, the baby was rushed into the trauma room. His parents waited outside. After an hour, doctors brought him out with a neck brace and told them he needed a head CT scan to understand the full extent of his injury. “For the scan, he had to stay completely still,” Tal explained. “The doctors wanted to sedate him, but I begged them to let me try soothing him myself. I gave him sugar water and davened (prayed) from my heart. Thank God, he stayed calm enough for the scan.”

But the results were devastating. “A doctor came out and said Neria Efraim’s skull was completely shattered. He needed emergency surgery. I couldn’t hold it in, I cried and cried. My heart broke thinking of my tiny baby in such pain.”

What gave Tal the strength to hold on?

“Hashem sent us small miracles along the way,” she said. “Like the scan going smoothly, and the fact that the surgeon was religious. While we waited during the five-hour surgery, my husband went to get a blessing from Rabbi David Abuhatzeira, a respected kabbalist. We also shared our son’s name everywhere, WhatsApp, Facebook. Hidabroot helped us get the message out. So many people across Israel and the world prayed for him. It gave us incredible strength.”

And then came Tal’s own personal turning point. “While we were waiting and praying, I remembered something. After our son was born, I had promised to strengthen my Shabbat observance. But it didn’t last long. Suddenly, I felt this was a message from Hashem. I looked up and said, ‘I understand. I won’t disappoint You again. I’ll keep Shabbat and cover my head on Shabbat too. I’ll guard my head, and You guard my baby’s.’”

That night, Tal’s heartfelt promise was answered.

“After the surgery, Neria Efraim was moved to intensive care. He was sedated and on a ventilator. The doctors said it was too early to know if there was brain or spinal damage. My husband stayed with him while I went home to rest. In the middle of the night, Shlomi messaged me that the doctors had to keep giving our baby pain medicine, but he wouldn’t stay asleep. He kicked, moved his legs, and kept fighting the tubes. Even in that state, he knew something wasn’t right. The doctors were shocked. They said he wasn’t giving up.”

By morning, Neria Efraim opened his eyes to a new day. “He was weak, but slowly we saw his happiness return.”

For eight long days, he remained in intensive care. But little by little, he recovered. “Baruch Hashem (thank God), the worst was behind us,” Tal said. “But even now, four months later, it’s still hard to talk about what we went through.”

Looking back, Tal sees this painful chapter with deeper clarity. “I wouldn’t wish it on any parent. But we know this didn’t happen for nothing. In a moment like that, you feel completely helpless. You understand that only Hashem’s mercy can save you. And honestly, a baby that small hasn’t done anything wrong. If he’s suffering, it’s a wake-up call for the parents. It made us look inward and strengthen our connection to Hashem.”

Today, thank God, Neria Efraim is a healthy, active baby.

“We’re still working to strengthen our faith and observance. But we know this: it was the prayers of the Jewish people that lifted us up and gave us strength. Thanks to that support, our son is alive, and we are full of gratitude.”