Mother was eighteen and had been living in Israel for about half a year. They immigrated from Romania in 1962. She arrived pregnant.

On February 16, 1963, she gave birth to a 3+ kilogram daughter at Afula Hospital. It was a natural birth. No problems. The daughter looked healthy and beautiful. Mother breastfed her twice that day.

The next day the girl was not brought for nursing. Mother wasn’t told anything. They didn’t even talk to her.

That afternoon, grandmother came to visit and mother asked her to see what was going on. They avoided the issue until finally a doctor in the department named Gandelman told grandmother in Yiddish that the girl had died and that they should pay some money for her to be buried. They didn’t show her the baby. They didn’t explain anything beyond that. They had grandmother sign some document and sent them home. They were not given any documents. The girl hadn’t even been given a name or an identity number yet.

My parent’s names: Mali and Ephraim Kahan

Mother’s maiden name: Mali Blum

Name of grandmother (maternal grandmother who was informed by the hospital): Rivka Blum.

This was Mother’s first birth. Eventually she had four children, who are healthy to this day.

Until now we haven’t approached any commission. I am raising the issue for my parents, who are still alive, and I would be happy to find answers for my sister’s disappearance.