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ABOUT US
Our vision: a world where every woman who wants to have her baby, can.
Since 1977, EFRAT has provided hope, support, and a path forward for 88,079 women who have sought our help—women who initially felt they had to end their pregnancies due to financial stress.
No mother should have to choose between having her baby and paying her bills.
The women we've helped and their children are living proof of the transformation a woman can experience when she is unshackled from monetary worries in her baby's first years.
Over 35,000 women each year still terminate their pregnancies.
The most common reason: They feel they can't afford it.
While every woman's story is vastly different, they seek our help during one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.
And that's a fact we never take for granted. EFRAT works with each woman according to her unique situation and needs.
We offer her compassion, education, and financial security during the baby's first year—and beyond.
Because of EFRAT's help and support, I'm a happy and joyful Mom!”
“I got pregnant by mistake and became terribly depressed. The world seemed dark and I was petrified that I wouldn't be able to raise my child. I decided to have an abortion.
Until EFRAT stepped into the picture. They showed me the light at the end of the tunnel. Suddenly I began to understand the importance of life, that there are no mistakes in this world, and that everything is from G-d.
Today, I am the mother of a three-month-old princess. Because of EFRAT’s help and support, I am a happy and joyful Mom! Thank you for saving the life of my little princess.”
—Kayla R.
Our story
Dr. Eli Schussheim was a senior surgeon in the Hadassah and Sha'are Zedek Medical Centers in Jerusalem when he had an unexpected encounter that would alter the course of his life.
A woman brought her 8-year-old boy to get stitches and recognized Dr. Schussheim as the same doctor she had met eight years prior. Stunned, she told him, "This boy, my son, is here because of you."
The woman explained that when she was pregnant 8 years ago, her doctor was concerned that an x-ray she had received would harm the baby's development and recommended that she terminate the pregnancy. She consulted Dr. Schussheim for a second opinion, and he reassured the woman that while doctors once believed x-rays to be harmful to the fetus, the consensus in the medical community had changed, and it was safe for her to continue her pregnancy.
In that instant, Dr. Schussheim’s life and the course of his career were changed forever. “I studied medicine to save lives," he said. “Here I saw how a simple consultation could prevent a woman from unnecessarily terminating her pregnancy."
In 1977, Dr. Eli Schussheim founded the organization that is known today as EFRAT, and remained its president until he passed away in 2021.
While EFRAT still offers women second opinions from top medical professionals, the organization's focus has expanded over the decades to providing women a full safety net of support—emotional, financial, medical, physical, and even vocational—to empower them to give birth with confidence, joy and dignity.
Our Team
In their own words...
The thought of trying to manage financially with another baby terrified me. My husband was pressuring me to terminate the pregnancy so we decided to abort. When I told a close friend about the pregnancy, she encouraged me not to have the abortion before calling EFRAT.
My abortion appointment was the next day. I called EFRAT and told the volunteer about my financial difficulties and my decision. When I heard that EFRAT was willing to help me with the baby's needs after birth, I realized I could actually continue the pregnancy. With the promise of help from EFRAT, I could look forward to having my third baby.
The thought of trying to manage financially with another baby terrified me. My husband was pressuring me to terminate the pregnancy so we decided to abort. When I told a close friend about the pregnancy, she encouraged me not to have the abortion before calling EFRAT.
My abortion appointment was the next day. I called EFRAT and told the volunteer about my financial difficulties and my decision. When I heard that EFRAT was willing to help me with the baby's needs after birth, I realized I could actually continue the pregnancy. With the promise of help from EFRAT, I could look forward to having my third baby.
