We both come from small but deeply connected families, adore our niece and nephews, and have always longed for children of our own. We each spent years navigating the Jewish dating scene, worrying that the opportunity for parenthood might pass us by. At 35, Ava froze her eggs to preserve her chances of having children and moved to New York in hopes of finding a larger Modern Orthodox community—and, ultimately, her bashert. After several missed connections, we finally met and married in 2024 and started planning our future together.

As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Ava has always felt a profound responsibility to continue Jewish traditions. She became fully Shabbat- and kosher-observant as an adult, drawn to the values and community she envisioned raising children within. Danny grew up Modern Orthodox in Brooklyn, where his parents were deeply engrained in their community and worked to create a warm environment for children over the years. As multiple people in his family have struggled with infertility, Danny gained an appreciation for the gift of children and the emotional complexity of infertility.

We hoped to conceive once we were married, but after eight months without success, we sought help from infertility specialists. A year of testing, consultations, and hope led us to try IVF using Ava’s previously frozen eggs, resulting in only one low-prognosis embryo. Our doctor recommends pursuing fresh IVF cycles, but insurance barriers have placed enormous financial strain on us. In addition, Ava recently lost her job as a public policy researcher and has struggled to find a new job. Despite these mounting financial challenges and stress, our commitment to building a Jewish family remains unwavering. We are hopeful and pray that with support from the JUF Path to Parenthood grant, we will finally welcome a child into our home.

Ava and Daniel are recipients of the Path to Parenthood Grant from the Jewish United Fund – Chicago.