Boaz Klein (34) and Fradel Shifra Klein (32) have been Chabad emissaries in Beriloche, Argentina for 14 years. When Covid reached their shores, they were afraid to be unable to return to their families in Israel indefinitely and so they took advantage of an Israeli rescue plane back to Israel.
Boaz and Fradel met when they were 21 and 18 respectively, when he was in the army in the armored corps and she was studying special education in seminary. Within a little more than a month, they were engaged, married and on the way to the Southernmost Chabad in the world. The youngest emissaries in Chabad history. Fradel herself was the daughter of shlichim in Israel.
Boaz and Fradel had already been blessed with two children, a girl Shayna 9, and a boy Shneur 3, but it had been a difficult journey fraught with the kinds of difficulty that infertile couples face. They decided that, back in Israel they would try again. Their efforts were rewarded and the ultrasound revealed that they had been four times blessed – with quadruplets. But instead of wishing them mazal tov, the doctor suggested removing one or two of the embryos so that the others would have a better chance. He told them that the quantity would compromise the quality of the other babies. He also told them that this was halachically acceptable because it was endangering life. They consulted a rabbi, who told them the same thing – that it was permissible. But they wouldn’t hear of it.
When they had started their journey with infertility, they asked a question via the Igrot Kodesh. Over the years, the Lubavitcher Rebbe had written thousands of notes and letters to people who turned to him for advice, guidance and blessing. The appeals and answers dealt with an array of topics that relate to all facets and trials and tribulations of life. These letters were eventually published in 23 volumes. Since the Rebbe’s death, when someone has a question they can open one of the volumes and seek an answer.
The first time that Boaz and Fradel did this, they received an answer that whoever teaches Torah to someone it is as if they had borne him and as a result, they would be blessed with children. They understood that since they worked in kiruv, they would eventually be blessed with children. They had originally been planning to work in kiruv in Israel but an opportunity arose to travel to Argentina for three months, that became another three months and to date, they have been there for 14 years.
With the dire prognosis, they decided to do the same thing again and opened the Igrot Kodesh. The response couldn’t have been clearer. The letter told them to be strong and have faith and that the result would bring much quantity and much quality, echoing the doctor’s words but in reverse.
They switched to a private doctor who had a lot of experience with multiple birth pregnancies and instead of calling it a high risk pregnancy, they called it a high possibility pregnancy. “The Rebbe had always said to speak in positive terms.” and Fradel gave birth to two healthy boys and two healthy girls via Cesarean section at 32 weeks at Tel HaShomer hospital. Boaz said, “Today we have brought into the world four Chabad emissaries. Can there be any greater pleasure?”
Boaz and Fradel know that any birth, and every birth, is a miracle and they are grateful for all the prayers that were said on their behalf and all the professional and personal help they received.
“To be a partner with G-d four times over, all at once, is Wow!” said Klein.
Although they wanted the birth to take place in Israel, the family is anxious to return to their home and mission in Argentina, which they will do as soon as everyone is up to it.
In the meantime, the Kleins encourage everyone to remain positive and even if their miracle hasn’t happened yet, it still can, because everything is in the hands of Hashem.
