Mother of 17 Recounts War Experience and Family Life
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Mother of 17 describes simultaneous service of 10 sons/sons-in-law in recent conflict.
- She views faith as acting when needed, not as a guarantee of safety.
- Raanan developed psychological tools to manage anxiety during wartime.
- She and her husband chose to have 17 children, embracing a simple lifestyle.
- Parenting approach evolved, with later children benefiting from her experience.
Yael Raanan, a mother of 17 children, shared her experiences during the recent conflict, during which ten of her sons and sons-in-law served simultaneously. In an interview with Dr. Chana Katan, Raanan described the emotional toll of having so many family members involved in the war, emphasizing that the concern extended beyond the ten fighters to their wives, children, and grandchildren.
Raanan discussed her perspective on faith, stating it's not about avoiding harm but about acting when necessary, even without guarantees of a positive outcome. She also spoke about her internal battle against negative imagination during the war, utilizing psychological tools she learned over the past decade to maintain positivity and self-control, viewing herself as a "fighter" in her own mind.
Reflecting on her upbringing in Kibbutz Sha'alvim before the Six-Day War, Raanan recalled a childhood marked by a sense of border awareness and mission, instilled by her parents. She also described the strong family atmosphere in her childhood home and the influence of her education on her views regarding family and child-rearing.
She and her husband, Naftali, decided to have a large family, with Raanan initially envisioning ten children and her husband suggesting seventeen. This dream became a reality with ten sons and seven daughters. Raanan highlighted the importance of partnership between spouses in raising such a large family and the system of shared responsibility implemented, where children learn to manage aspects of their daily lives from a young age.
Raanan acknowledged the unique challenges of motherhood with seventeen children, particularly the amplified "maternal conscience" and the constant self-questioning about providing enough for each child. She found solace and a way to connect personally with each child through prayer and by writing individual birthday blessings. Economically, the family embraced a simple lifestyle, prioritizing joy and focusing on what they have rather than what they lack.
She noted that her approach to parenting evolved, with her later children benefiting from her increased experience and wisdom. Raanan also pursued studies in psychology after her youngest child reached school age, which further transformed her perspective on motherhood and her relationships with her children, leading her to feel she became a "richer" mother to her younger children.