Hope, Help and Healing: Be'ad Chaim, Israeli pro-life organization saving thousands of lives every year

On February 5, leaders, pastors, and ministry heads from across Israel gathered in Netanya for a special evening organized by the ministry Be’ad Chaim.

"Be’ad Chaim," meaning "pro-life" in Hebrew, is a ministry that offers crisis pregnancy counseling, diapers, and various forms of humanitarian aid. Additionally, it provides counseling and prayer for a full year to new mothers who choose to keep their unborn children rather than opt for abortion.

“To celebrate God’s goodness, even during this difficult season, it is our joy to invite you to a special gala celebration of Life,” the invitations said. “It will be a time to share a delicious meal, to hear testimonies about the miracles of new lives, and to share the vision that God has for the future.”

The theme for the evening was “He gives me beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the spirit of praise for the spirit of heaviness” from Isaiah 61:3.

At the entrance to the event hall, the ministry had placed several stacks of wall calendars for people to take home as a gift. Made by Be’ad Chaim, the calendars featured photos of babies whose lives were saved through the ministry’s efforts over the past few years.

A large banner also adorned the entrance, displaying the ministry’s logo alongside the Bible verse: “I have set before you life and death... Therefore, choose life, so that you and your descendants may live, by loving Adonai your God.” – Deuteronomy 30:19.

Each table featured a photo of a baby, along with their name, date of birth, and a QR code linking to the story of how their life was saved. The event hall buzzed with excitement as employees set up the buffet. Avi Mizrachi, director of the Dugit Outreach Center in Tel Aviv and pastor of Adonai Roi Congregation, welcomed the attendees and led a prayer for the meal. The evening continued with time for eating and fellowship around the tables.

After the meal, musicians led the attendees in worship, followed by Tony Sperandeo, who took the stage to deliver the opening speech. Sperandeo is the chairman of the board of Be’ad Chaim and the pastor of HaMaayan Congregation in Kfar Saba.

“Many people ask about our congregation which denomination we are. Charismatics, Baptists, Lutherans? And I always answer that we are John 17. Jesus’ prayer before he was crucified was that all his disciples would be one, just as he and the Father are one. When we unite, God brings blessings.”

“Be’ad Chaim has operated for over 30 years. But today I want to tell you – Be’ad Chaim is not an organization, it’s a message. We are all here because we are be’ad chaim – pro-life. Life is the central message," he explained.

‘In the beginning God created’ – He is the creator. He created us in his image. And the first commandment in the Word of God, what is it? Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, and rule it. We believe the message of life, of life’s holiness, is the first and most important message. Life is a gift from God. We cannot take our own life, nor anyone else’s life," Sperandeo continued.

"From the moment a sperm meets the egg, there is life. And the unborn children are living creatures who need protection. In our country, as in many others, there is no legal protection for unborn children. Who will save those who are marked for death if not us? We must unite around this message.”

Sperandeo connected the sanctity of life to the tragic events of Oct. 7, 2023. He shared that people collectively went through shock and trauma on that devastating day.

"Our people decided that the sanctity of life is more important, even more than our security. We were ready to release thousands of terrorists to save another life... We all joined in the joy of the families, seeing hostages coming home to their loved ones...until they are all brought home," Sperandeo said, referencing the hostage release and prisoner exchange as part of the current phase one deal.

He shared with the audience that he went to Washington, DC, to attend the March for Life on Jan. 24, where hundreds of thousands of people marched for life - "they have been doing this for 30 years. Most of them are young. Catholics, Protestants, Baptists, people from many denominations, coming together and declaring the sanctity of life and the gospel."

He likened Be’ad Chaim to Gideon’s faithful army, where only 300 men remained whittled down from 32,000 after being tested. He shared that while in Washington God spoke to him saying, "The unity of the Body of Christ and the message of the sanctity of life - that’s the message that will give us victory over our enemy, Satan, the liar, the thief and the murderer.”

“I have a vision of how pastors who are busy with their own congregation also become involved socially, nationally, and internationally. This is the message of God’s kingdom. Someone said he doesn’t want to play with marbles when God has called him to move mountains."

“This is a message about moving mountains. This is about life and death,” he declared, emphasizing that saving lives must take precedence above all else. “That’s the message of the Good Samaritan,” he added, underscoring the urgency of the cause.

He then called on the attendees to unite and prioritize the sanctity of life. “We will soon hear from Sandy Shoshani, our director, about what exactly is happening in the country. Let’s unite. Let’s bring this message of the sanctity of life to the top priority in our congregations. We are ready to help you with anything,” he said, offering support for those ready to take action.

A key focus of his speech was the younger generation. “My heart especially goes out to the young generation,” he expressed. “I have discovered that so many of them are influenced by what they see and hear online, and we need to reteach them about the sanctity of life.” He stressed the need to guide and educate youth on the value of life in a world increasingly shaped by digital influences.

Sperandeo's impassioned words called for a united front in the pro-life movement, urging participants to step forward and embrace the cause in their communities.

He proposed organizing a March for Life in Jerusalem, noting that the idea was first discussed five years ago. However, the outbreak of COVID delayed any progress, and just a year after Israel emerged from lockdowns and social distancing, the Hamas-led massacre and subsequent war further postponed the initiative.

"We really need to proclaim that the sanctity of life is not just for the hostages in Gaza, but for every house in Israel, for every city where unborn children are in mortal danger. They are truly innocent. Those are innocent lives we must protect, because that’s a calling God has given us. Let’s put all our disagreements aside and come together as one body in one spirit."

Sperandeo called on people to repent and agree that there has been enough done to stand firmly and save innocent lives. "We have put the issue of pro-life as our 20th or 25th priority, and some of us aren’t involved at all, so we want to encourage you to change that."

He also called on the body of believers to stand together in unity - not just on the issue of abortion, but in overall unity. He then invited someone to "play the pro-life song from Psalm 139 while we all pray and repent over this issue.”

A man came up on stage and played on a pan flute the well-known melody of “Baseter Useti” – an Israeli worship song based on Psalm 139, written by Pastor David Loden for Be’ad Chaim many years ago.

After the music, Sandy Shoshani, the director of Be’ad Chaim, took the the stage and thanked the attendees for coming. She shared that Be’ad Chaim began as a non-profit to protect the mother and the unborn child. "This also includes protecting the mother from the pain of abortion. We are not here to scream or to be angry. We are here out of love," she said.

"And we want to save the baby from abortion, and the mother from the pain of abortion. ‘I have put before you life and death… Therefore choose life so that you and your descendants may live by loving Adonai your God.’ From the book of Deuteronomy. God gives us a choice. Life or death. This is not something political, this is life and death. And we want to see life in this country be a blessing for our people, and bring peace to our people."

Shoshani admitted that, like most people, abortion was not an issue she had deeply considered. However, she was challenged by her love for Israel and the idea that 'the blood cries out from the ground,' which compelled her to take action.

"God has called us to save those who can’t speak up for themselves. We can’t continue to stick our head in the sand like ostriches and hope that it’s someone else’s calling. We need to answer God’s calling to save those who are brought to death,” Shoshani declared.

She also shared that the statistics about abortions provided by the Central Bureau of Statistics are not accurate. "I sat with them and asked how their numbers were so off. According to their numbers, there were only 15,890 abortions in 2022 – that’s fewer abortions than in the 70s – even though the population has grown from 3 to 10 million since then."

"They said to my face – we don’t know the actual statistics. According to a survey we did, we believe it’s at least 30,000 a year in our tiny country,” she revealed, expressing concern over the rising number of abortions."

Shoshani also pointed out a surprising finding from the survey: "And it’s not just young 16-year-olds. Our statistics show that 47% of all abortions are extra-marital." She emphasized the gravity of this revelation, noting that more than half of abortions are carried out by married women. “What does that mean? That over half of all abortions are made by married women. Married! You understand that?”

She went on to explain the painful reality faced by many women, particularly those who feel overwhelmed by their circumstances.

“A woman who feels she has too many kids, or who got pregnant too quickly after a previous pregnancy. She has four kids and a fifth one is too much, so she just kills him? Just like that? Is the life of a baby so cheap? It hurts just thinking of it,” she said, visibly moved by the emotional weight of the issue.

“We want to make a change. And we’re doing it in three areas: Hope, Help and Healing. First of all hope – we have an amazing team of counselors.”

At this point, the counselors of Be’ad Chaim stood up and a slide was shown with a list of the counselors and in which geographical area of Israel they work. The hardworking counselors received a round of applause in appreciation for their service to the organization, as well as the community.

Shoshani encouraged people to look at the counselors listed in their areas. Be'ad Chaim has counselors covering most parts of the country, with offices in Tiberias and Beersheva, in addition to the main office in Jerusalem.

Additionally, they have a project running where they supply mothers with everything a baby needs for the first year of its life. During the first year, the mother receives diapers and vouchers from supermarkets so she can buy what she needs for her baby.

"This year we have about 500 babies and 100 pregnancies under this program. Since 2006, we have saved over 6,000 lives this way,” Shoshani stated.

Furthermore, she emphasized that healing is one of the most important aspects of their ministry.

"A lot of women have gone through abortion, and they carry this blame and shame with them. And I can tell you, within your congregations, you probably have women, often older women, who went through an abortion in their youth and later came to faith," she shared.

"It’s not a shame to speak of things you’ve done and need forgiveness for – on the contrary, that’s God’s glory, to give forgiveness and healing. So please, speak about it. We have a wonderful place, the Gardens of Life, where you can plant a tree in memory of a baby who died through abortion or miscarriage. We also offer seminars and individual counseling in this field.”

Shoshani then invited a few women to share their testimonies about how Be'ad Chaim provided them with hope, help, and healing. This was followed by a time of prayer, during which attendees at each table prayed together for life, the ministry of Be'ad Chaim, and Israel. Finally, six pastors took the stage, offering prayers one after another.

In her final remarks, Shoshani said, “I want to give each one of you the opportunity to join us in saving lives. So we are giving out this pamphlet to you with a list of things you can do. It doesn’t have to be a lot or things that are hard,” she said as people gave out a pamphlet in Hebrew and English.

As attendees left, they were given "goodie bags" containing a children's coloring book on fetal development, a bookmark, a small bottle of anointing oil from Be’ad Chaim’s “Gardens of Life,” an informational pamphlet, and a few chocolates.

If you would like to financially support Be’ad Chaim, you can do so here.

[Full disclosure: The author of this article is married to an employee at Be'ad Chaim.]