Our Founder’s Story
“The year was 2005 and I had just suffered my first miscarriage.
After two years of dealing with secondary infertility and finally getting pregnant with the help of Clomid and IUI, the loss hit me especially hard. Over the next eight years, the vicious cycle repeated itself, and I lost five more babies. At the time, miscarriage, infertility, and mental health were taboo topics, surrounded by shame, stigma, and secrecy. With no one and nowhere to turn, I struggled to cope with the grief.
Meeting Rebecca was a game changer. Having experienced multiple miscarriages, Rebecca understood my pain perfectly; she was the first to empathize with my unique brand of loss and sorrow.
She was the only one who understood that I was a mess. She never told me to get over it. She let me cry and cry and cry until I had no more tears left. And when that happened, while fighting back her own tears, she hugged me until I was ready to let go. At the time, it was exactly what I needed.
Understanding how important emotional support was in my healing process, I searched for similar resources in the Jewish community, but I couldn’t find any that fit perfectly. While there were various community programs, they felt far too public for someone in such a sensitive position.
I realized there was a major void. As both a medical doctor and someone who had experienced infertility, I was uniquely situated to fill it. And that’s how IWSTHAB was born.
In August 2019, I launched the IWSTHAB social media community on Instagram and Facebook to bring emotional support and comfort directly to those who needed it.
The response was immediate. Stories poured in from around the world. People shared their experiences, their grief, their questions, their advice, and their support.
Finally, Jewish people struggling with infertility and loss had a place to say, “This is happening to me.”
But what started as a place to find support became something bigger. IWSTHAB was never only about helping people through infertility and loss. It was about changing the culture around them.
Because people should not have to hide their pain. Their friends and families should know how to show up for them. Clergy, educators, healthcare professionals, and Jewish communal leaders should understand what people are experiencing and know how to respond. And the many complicated ways people build families should be met with compassion, understanding, and support rather than silence, stigma, or awkwardness.
What began with one person looking for a place to feel understood has grown into a movement to change how the Jewish community cares for people on their fertility journeys.
And that is why IWSTHAB exists.