34 | APRIL 27 • 2023
I
f it takes a village to raise a child,
then it can take what feels like a
whole country to raise a child with
special needs. It was with this thought
that Bayla and Sruly Berman of Oak
Park approached their son Dovid’s third
birthday.
Traditionally in some communities,
a boy’s third birthday is celebrated with
an upsherin and marked with his first
haircut. The Bermans, filled with appre-
ciation for their family, their community
and their son’s medical teams in more
than three states, were not going to let
this milestone pass without a splash —
even if the birthday boy himself is cogni-
tively unaware of its significance.
In 2019, Sruly and Bayla, parents of
then 4-year-old Zevy, were thrilled to be
expecting for the second time. It was at
the 20-week scan that they first discov-
ered they might have a rocky road ahead
of them.
“The baby’s stomach was distended,
meaning he wasn’t passing stool,
” said
Bayla, who recalls how she immedi-
ately went straight into planner mode,
researching every option, wanting to
know every possible outcome.
After an anxiety-ridden pregnancy,
Dovid was born on March 10, 2020,
which also happened to be Purim, right
before the world turned upside down
with COVID. Even during that tumul-
tuous time, the Bermans felt the hand of
God with them.
“I got laid off during COVID and
Bayla’s [Partners in Torah] office went
remote, so we were able to move to
Denver for three months for the sur-
geries,
” said Sruly, who now works for
Superior Kosher Meats in Southfield.
“Purim is the holiday of hidden mira-
cles. Dovid is full of hidden miracles and
that was definitely one of them for us.
”
MANY CHALLENGES
At birth, Dovid was diagnosed with an
anorectal malformation, meaning he
was born without an anus; his rectum
connected to his bladder. Within 24
hours, he had his first surgery and by the
time he was 6 months old, he’
d had three
surgeries. The most significant — a cus-
Family plans a celebration to
remember for their special needs son.
A Special
Upsherin
ROCHEL BURSTYN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
PHOTOS: ANNA FRANKEL OF FRENKEL FILMS
Sruly and
Bayla smile
while cutting
Dovid’s hair,
continued on page 36
NO MATER HOW YOU
HONOR HER THIS
MOTHER’S DAY, WE’RE
HERE TO HELP.