a simple woman with a remarkable mission. Armed with faith in God’s revealed word, Kalina is saving lives. And it is for this reason alone that those who support abortion are set on stopping her.
Kalina grew up listening to her parents stories of the horrors of the Holocaust told first-hand by her Bulgarian father and Tunisian mother. Her family was the focus of her world. She became fiercely protective of her brothers, earning a reputation for standing up to bigger children in defense of her older brothers. The neighborhood bullies quickly learned to steer clear of her clan. Gradually, that perspective grew to include others and Kalina gained a reputation for standing up for anyone who was weak.
KALINA: “In any situation, I must help the weak. I can’t see anyone in distress without intervening. I never think about it. It’s automatic for me.”
Raised in the holy city of Jerusalem, Kalina felt that all of her actions should be focused on bringing God’s light into the world. As a child, being sent to the store to buy groceries became an opportunity to help others. Any spare change was used to buy something for someone else. From a young age, she understood that having food and clothes was not a given, that there were others that were in need. At three years old, she was given new clothes and rather than show them off, she wore them reluctantly, unwilling to wear them to school, knowing that other children were not so fortunate.
Kalina grew up appreciating the sanctity of the Land of Israel.
KALINA: “meeting a person in need is a gift from God, giving us an opportunity to bring His light into the world.”
One day, her older brother told her a story, a family secret that had been kept from her. The story would change her, becoming the beacon that would guide her.
KALINA: “Itai told me that when my mother became pregnant, rather than celebrate, my father became scared. My older brother was one year old and times were difficult, in the country and for my family. My father worked hard but he believed that the half loaf of bread per day that fed our family would not suffice for another child. He considered the unthinkable. He spoke to my mother about having an abortion. It was a difficult discussion. That day, a miracle happened. It rained. But it wasn’t a normal rain. It rained so hard that businesses shut down. The roads were closed. My parents couldn’t leave the house. By the next day, my father regretted his decision and soon after I was born.”
This aspect of her own story became her mission. Kalina set out to help other mothers.
KALINA: “The first child I helped save was a relative. When I found out that she was planning on having an abortion, I pleaded with my husband. We gave her money to help her have the baby. It was a significant sum and we could not really afford it. But the baby is now a young man. He is a joy to his mother and everyone he meets. He is a successful soccer player. No one would ever know that his mother had doubts about bringing him into the world.”
