Our dear daughter

Our dear daughter,

Fifteen years have passed since you joined our family…since that day when you came to us with your small pink suitcase. The process that we went through as a family was long and complex until we got you, an extraordinary girl.

I remember the exciting day. I came with Ayala, Orr Shalom’s mythical social worker, to come to meet you for the first time. You were shy, closed, and wary. And I was so nervous. That morning I ran to the bathroom many times, as if I was going to take the biggest exam of my life.

You went through so much before you got to us. You were removed from your home by court order and taken to an emergency foster family until a suitable family would be found for you. In a country where the national divide is so strong, you being from a mixed background, half Jewish and half Muslim, made it challenging to find a family. Instead of seeing how unique and special you are, they only saw how complicated it was. And we won.

The first months were slightly challenging for all of us. You needed to adjust to a new family, a new home, a new nursery school. This was your third transition over a short time. As a child, you suffered from numerous ear infections, which affected your speech. We attended many therapy sessions, emotional therapy, language…

You adjusted well at nursery school—you made new friends and developed quickly. In the beginning, there were some emotional issues, but with the fantastic staff at the school, you learned to cope with everything. You are a survivor. That is what your reality has taught you.

We taught you that you are not different. You are special! We always told you that there are very few children with two mothers and one father and very few children who are both Jewish and Muslim.

Your biological mother and father continued to attend your regular meetings. I was so happy that I insisted on an open adoption. Their lifestyle did not allow them to raise you, but they bore you out of love, and they could see you develop and flourish. They love you so much…they deserve to know that they made this wonderful creation. That something good happened in their complicated lives.

Now – as you go on a new path, I want to tell you, my beloved daughter, how proud I am of you. Of how far you’ve come, who you are, and who you still will be.

You have brought so much happiness and joy into our home. You made it possible for your big sister, who until 15 years ago was an only child, to grow up with an amazing sister. She was with you all along the way like a little mother. And the love between the two of you knew no bounds.

And to me, dear Moni…you let me touch your gentle soul and love you limitlessly. It is to your credit that I had the privilege to be the mother of such a special girl like you.

Embark on your new path, my dear daughter, equipped with all the love and tools life has given you. And always remember that this is your home. It always was and always will be.

Love, the family