Former Yeroham Mayor Tal Ohana Shares Personal Journey of Loss, Faith, and Fertility

Tal Ohana, former head of the Yeroham local council, has revealed her personal and challenging journey in an interview with Arutz 7. Her story encompasses her electoral defeat, a public service mission in the Galilee, and a prolonged struggle with infertility that ultimately led to the birth of her daughter.

Ohana, who was previously identified with public leadership, described her long path of loss, faith, fertility, and mission. Despite her current weekly travel to the Galilee for public service, she emphasized that Yeroham remains her home and source of strength. After her term as mayor ended, she initially struggled to understand why that chapter closed, questioning divine intervention. However, she soon found herself in northern Israel, assisting communities evacuated during the war, where she realized her mission had shifted to influencing human spirit.

Concurrently, Ohana navigated a deeply personal challenge. At 36, while leading the local council, she was encouraged to freeze her eggs but initially resisted, viewing it as criticism. The opportunity arose later, and she embarked on a difficult process involving numerous medical procedures and significant emotional strain. A council employee assisted her by managing the technical aspects of her treatment.

Doctors later informed her of significant ovarian failure, making natural conception with her own eggs highly unlikely. Faced with options like experimental treatment abroad or egg donation, Ohana persisted, consulting various doctors and changing treatment paths. She eventually found Dr. Itai Bar-Hava, who guided her through a different approach involving egg fertilization and embryo freezing.

Ohana's experience has led her to urge young women to proactively check their fertility status and consider egg freezing early, stating that career and mission do not preclude motherhood. She recounted instances where only one egg was retrieved per treatment cycle, underscoring the urgency of her message. A personal miracle occurred when one of her embryos resulted in a successful pregnancy. Shortly after, she met her future husband, who expressed his desire to be the father of her child on their first date.

Throughout her journey, Ohana consulted Rabbi David Abuchatzeira, who encouraged her treatments and assured her of finding a partner. She is currently undergoing further fertility treatments with the hope of having another child, having learned to relinquish constant effort and embrace a more relaxed approach. She shared a profound realization that a woman, not a child, brings life into the world, which altered her perspective on herself and the world.

Ohana concluded by advocating for broader connection and "love of Israel," drawing from her work in the Galilee helping religious Zionist families settle in a veteran moshav. She believes that if individuals act as bridges in their respective spheres, it will significantly benefit the Jewish people and the state.