"The Doctor Stopped the Surgeons and Announced: 'This Girl is a Miracle Child'"

Closing the circle. That is the first feeling that strikes me as I speak with Liora Azulai, roughly three and a half years after we first met. Back then, as part of a tearful yet empowering interview, I was introduced to her life story—a tale of returning to religious observance, the discovery of a challenging autoimmune disease named lupus, and the accompanying implications.

Listening to her story was not easy. During that call, I heard a woman across the line grappling with serious trials—severe health issues, a prolonged wait for more children, helplessness, and pain. Yet, despite everything, she was filled with hope and inspiration. I left that interview with mixed feelings. On one hand, I saluted Liora, the young woman who managed to stay connected to Hashem in every situation. On the other hand, I felt sharp and powerful pain for her. Even then, I added her to my prayers, asking daily in the blessing of 'Refa'einu' for her complete healing.

Now, as I have the chance to speak with her again, I hear a different woman. 'My life has completely changed,' she says joyfully. 'No, the lupus hasn't disappeared,' she quickly clarifies. 'It's a chronic disease that will accompany me for life, only disappearing if Hashem decides to perform a miracle beyond nature.

'Regarding the illness, it’s not easy at all—sadly, there are days I experience it quite severely, with joint pain, facial rashes, mouth ulcers, fatigue, and weakness to the point where I can't even throw out a garbage bag. There are days when the symptoms are less noticeable, but still, I have been blessed. In the past year, I witnessed a great miracle beyond nature when my baby daughter was born, contrary to all expectations and odds.'

Disappointment After Disappointment

The journey that Liora and her husband Yogev experienced until the birth of their daughter, Amalya Rachel, was not just exhausting but also filled with obstacles and pessimistic predictions from all directions. 'Interestingly, I gave birth to my first son, Yehuda, shortly after our wedding,' Liora recalls, 'but when he was ten months old, I suffered a miscarriage, followed by five more consecutive miscarriages, each shattering me into pieces. My body simply couldn't sustain a pregnancy. Our medical investigation led to an even harsher revelation—the doctors diagnosed me with a severe case of lupus, a disease that affects the liver, kidneys, and other bodily systems. They also explained that the high protein levels in the blood, due to the disease, were causing the miscarriages, and naturally, there was no chance my body could carry a pregnancy. According to them, I had to accept reality, understand I would be a mother to only one child, and be thankful for what I had.'

But Liora did not accept these words. 'I was so broken and hurt, yet amid the pain, I felt I was undergoing a tremendous change in my faith. Suddenly, I began to realize that the trial I was experiencing was for my benefit. Even more so, I believed that once I did my part and drew closer to the Creator, He would surely bestow upon me the abundance I longed for.'

Years passed, and more miscarriages joined the timeline. Again, heartbreak, again endless heartache, and the same overwhelming thoughts—'Maybe the trials are for nothing? Maybe the doctors are right, and I am wasting energy and hope?'

Then came the great turning point. 'I will never forget the conversation between me and my husband Yogev, after the sixth and final miscarriage,' says Liora. 'It was when we drove back from the hospital, and Yogev, out of pain and concern for my well-being, said, 'I feel like you've turned yourself into a machine, and it hurts me to see you go through this. It’s not only emotional pain but physical suffering too. To me, it's time to stop trying. I have you, I have Yehuda, and both of us need you to be mentally healthy.'

'I was then swollen and tearful, with fresh and tangible pain. I took a deep breath and told Yogev: Promise me you believe with me that we will have another child, that it will happen. Yogev stopped the car and said: Yes, I believe it will happen, I believe with you, and that's how the conversation ended.

'Shortly thereafter, we began exploring surrogacy,' she adds. 'The doctors pushed us towards it and even issued approvals. They explained that if we wanted another child, it was the only way, with no other options. We tried to hear from additional sources about how the process is conducted from a halachic perspective, but I constantly had the feeling that this was not the path for me, that Hashem was not requiring this from me. Eventually, I told Yogev that I felt Hashem was testing me one last time before salvation would come, and I wanted to continue trying and praying.'

And it really was like that?

'Yes, we left all the surrogacy documents aside and continued our routine, understanding that I was stepping into the unknown—it could mean a few more years of disappointments and miscarriages, or perhaps I would never succeed at all. But the good Lord had mercy on us. Two and a half months after that conversation, I discovered I was pregnant.'

Pressure, Fears, and Hope

Discovering a pregnancy after almost nine years of waiting is usually a joyful thing, but for Yogev and Liora, the happiness was not complete. 'We are familiar with disappointments,' Liora reminds, 'All my pregnancies began with a positive test, excitement, and anticipation, but eventually, deep disappointment with the realization that the dream failed again. Even this time, there was excitement. I sent Yogev a 'Congratulations' message, and he replied with a smiley emoji, but everything was very subdued. We tried to suppress the excitement; we didn't want to expect and then be let down.'

How can this be explained—the success of this time?

'In theory, there is no natural explanation. To this day, the doctors cannot comprehend or explain why this pregnancy persisted while the others failed. I took the same medications and followed all the advice given to sustain the pregnancy, and yet, while previously those measures didn't help, this time Hashem decided that a soul needed to come into the world.

'From my perspective, I also feel that this happened at the most precise timing; Amalya Rachel was born during the Corona era, when I was adhering to the restrictions more than anyone else due to being in a risk group. To this day, I hardly leave the house, don't meet with friends, and ensure my husband and son wear masks and keep their distance. At this point, I cannot get vaccinated, and contracting COVID-19 could be extremely dangerous for me. This is not an easy period because, by nature, I am a sociable person who likes to host and visit others. I think that if Amalya Rachel hadn't arrived during this specific time, I would have, Heaven forbid, reached a mental collapse. After all, I am human. Her birth came at such a right time for me; it was a ray of light during such a difficult period..."

(Photo: Shutterstock)

But the months of pregnancy, as Liora notes, were not easy at all. 'It was extremely stressful,' she explains. 'The doctors required me to appear almost weekly at the hospital for follow-ups and comprehensive tests. I was also given many medications not usually administered during regular pregnancies, such as high doses of steroids and other drugs not generally recommended during pregnancy. In my case, they gave everything possible to ensure the pregnancy would hold and develop properly. It should also be understood that the pregnancy occurred during a time when the lupus was active, meaning I was unbalanced with high creatinine and protein levels, which posed a significant threat not only to the baby but also to my life. We had a doctor accompanying us at the hospital. Each time we visited her, she would say happily, 'Look, thank God, we passed another week safely, thank God we gained another hundred grams,' and no, she is not a religious woman.

'It was a very tense and frightening period. We were so concerned that the pregnancy wouldn't develop that we didn't share the good news with anyone. With each day that passed safely, we breathed a sigh of relief, yet we still couldn’t digest that the dream was coming true; we were just waiting for the next day to pass safely. I know some people count pregnancies by months and some by weeks, but I was counting by days, and it seemed like an eternity. During that time, I also experienced a special closeness to Hashem, praying a lot, feeling as close as can be, understanding that only from Him could bring salvation.'

When did you realize it was real? That it was truly going to happen?

'Honestly? Only when Amalya was born. Only when we reached the hospital did I start to understand I was going to hold a baby girl. I remember that when we entered the reception room, the doctor who had accompanied us throughout the pregnancy joined us and spoke to the staff. I don't remember everything she said because I was at the height of excitement, but one of her sentences imprinted on my memory. 'Stop everything,' she told the doctors, 'I must tell you, you are about to witness the birth of a miracle child.'

Recovery from childbirth was actually less exciting and experiential. 'The trauma my body underwent during delivery caused considerable damage,' Liora clarifies. 'Suddenly, my body's systems collapsed, all indicators dropped, I lost consciousness, and I required blood transfusions and medications. My poor husband was so distressed, and it took 24 hours before the doctors could definitively tell him that I was out of danger. Only then could I finally hold the baby, embrace her, and feel how my dream turned into reality.'

Miracle Child

How is Amalya Rachel doing today?

'Amalya Rachel is now a year old, and she is a full-fledged Corona baby,' Liora smiles. 'For many months, she didn't leave the house, and even her grandparents didn't meet her. My recovery period after birth was extremely long, as I suffered from all possible lupus symptoms. The body underwent a real shock, and to this day, the manifestations are part of my daily life. Fortunately, my husband took paternity leave and was with us all the time, and Yehuda helped us a lot too.'

How did Yehuda react to the birth of a new sister?

'Wow, it was amazing,' Liora recalls. 'Right from the start, a special bond developed between them. He loves her so much and constantly watches over her and cares for her. I truly believe that his blessings were effective because since he was a little boy, he blessed me that I would be able to bring a healthy and whole baby, and he prayed and asked for it so much. No prayers return empty-handed.'

By the way, for those wondering—the name 'Amalya Rachel' carries a unique explanation. 'Amalya isn't just our child; she arrived because of the prayers of all of Israel,' Liora explains. 'When we thought of a name that would suit her, we knew we wanted to choose a name that reflected all of Israel. It is known that there are three partners in a person—the Creator, the father, and the mother. We felt as though there were four partners, and thus the name 'Amalya' was formed—the first letters symbolize Am Yisrael, the letter L' is for Liora, Y' is for Yogev, and the letter H' is for the Creator. In another division of the name, it can also form the words 'Amal-Yah,' meaning through toil, we merit Hashem's salvation. All this abundance came to us only thanks to prayers, perseverance, and all expectations. We added the name Rachel because during the waiting period, I was very connected to Rachel our Matriarch, praying a lot at her grave, and I thought it was fitting to name my daughter after her.'

Liora has one more thing she wishes to say to conclude: 'I know there are so many women reading my story who yearn for a miracle and feel it is supposedly impossible, that their case is hopeless. I want to tell them that this was precisely the feeling I had, but it's like the parable of someone climbing a hundred-story building. After 50 floors, when they are about to give up, they discover the elevator—and thus, in one go, leap to the top. None of us knows where the elevator is, and maybe, just momentarily, her salvation will also arrive.

'The song that accompanied me throughout the entire pregnancy was 'Don't Let Go' by Akiva. I listened to the words over and over: 'So much good lies ahead, just don't let go of your hands,' and that was exactly the feeling—Hashem prepares all the good in the world for us, we just must not despair. We must continue to hold Hashem's hand and not let go, because in the end, all the goodness will come.'

For the previous article, click here.