On Tuesday, an emotional meeting took place between the family of the late IDF Captain Rebecca Henrietta Johanna Baruch and 10-year-old Rana, who received a kidney through Rebecca’s organ donation.
Rebecca’s family – her parents, Sasha and Robert, and her siblings, Asher and Margalit, arrived from the Netherlands to mark the first anniversary of her passing.
Rebecca, who made aliyah specifically to enlist in the IDF and contribute to the country, tragically fell ill with an infectious disease and passed away. “Rebecca wanted to donate her organs; we knew this. It was also the wish of all of us,” said her parents, Sasha and Robert.
As Robert spoke about Rebecca, who was a brilliant student with strong principles, Rana’s parents noted that she, too, is an excellent student.
Rana’s kidney disease was discovered by chance when she was four years old. After a period of treatments, she had to be connected to a dialysis machine. It was difficult for her to cope with the dietary restrictions, so her parents refrained from eating and drinking in front of her to spare her frustration.
Rana only started attending school about six months ago after recovering from the transplant. Now, her father, who used to accompany her from their home in the south to dialysis treatments in central Israel, can finally return to reserve military service, which he had to put on hold to care for his daughter.
Rebecca’s parents inquired about Rana’s dietary restrictions after the transplant. “Now we all eat together, and Rana loves maqluba,” they said.
At the end of the meeting, they decided to get together again during the family’s next visit to Israel, this time at Rana’s home, to share a meal of lamb maqluba with rice and vegetables.
During the photo session, Rana’s father shared that they, too, belong to the community of bereaved military families. He concluded by saying, “Now, all of us—you and us—are one body with Rebecca’s kidney.”