A Lecture of Compassion

In the modern race for academic and professional success, young women—especially mothers—are often forced to choose between motherhood and education. For some, the dream of higher education is paused or even ended due to the rigid systems that fail to accommodate the complex realities of their lives.

But one university professor from Israel, Sydney Engelberg, stood against this system in the most humane and gentle way possible—and gave the world a lesson in compassion, equality, and humanity.


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A Cry Heard Around the World

The incident happened on an ordinary day. Professor Engelberg, 45 years old at the time, was delivering a lecture to a class of postgraduate students. One of the students—a young mother—had brought her baby to the lecture hall. According to university rules, bringing children into class is discouraged, and understandably so, as it might disrupt the flow of learning.

During the lecture, the baby started crying. The mother, visibly embarrassed, immediately prepared to leave the hall to avoid disturbing the class. She didn’t want to be a burden, nor break the unwritten rules of the academic space.

But what happened next was anything but ordinary.

Professor Engelberg didn’t express frustration or disapproval. He didn’t ask the student to leave. Instead, he gently walked up to her, picked up the crying baby, cradled the child in his arms, and continued his lecture without missing a single beat.

The room, once filled with tension, was now filled with awe.


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More Than a Kind Gesture

To students witnessing this moment, it was moving. But for those who knew Professor Engelberg, it wasn’t surprising. He is well-known for supporting student mothers, encouraging them not just to pursue their education, but to do so proudly—children and all.

In fact, his classes have long welcomed student mothers with open arms. Babies being breastfed in class, held quietly during lessons, or even crawling around while lectures continue, are not rare sights in his courses.

He believes—firmly and unapologetically—that "no mother should be forced to choose between her child and her education." He’s said, "An educated mother is the backbone of a progressive nation. She raises an entire generation."

This wasn’t just a one-time act. It’s a philosophy that Professor Engelberg lives by.


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Challenging the System

Many educational systems around the world, while intellectually advanced, are not emotionally inclusive. Student mothers often find themselves left behind, either due to lack of support, financial burdens, or social stigma. Some drop out. Some never even try.

Professor Engelberg’s small act of kindness sent a powerful message to institutions worldwide: supporting women in education requires empathy, not just policies.

His viral photo holding the baby during class sparked global admiration. Social media users called him a "real teacher," a "hero of education," and "a true gentleman." Countless women commented on how they had been forced to leave education after becoming mothers—and how a teacher like Engelberg could have changed their fate.


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What Education Should Look Like

In a world that often sees productivity and empathy as incompatible, Professor Engelberg proved otherwise.

While holding a baby, he delivered his lecture flawlessly. According to his students, he didn’t lose focus or skip any points. His message was simple: "Education is not disturbed by compassion. It is enhanced by it."

This is what education should look like:

Inclusive, not isolating.

Supportive, not shaming.

Flexible, not rigid.

Human, not just intellectual.



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The Bigger Picture

This is more than a feel-good story. It’s a call to action.

Institutions must reflect on how they treat mothers, especially those trying to break the cycle of poverty or lack of education. Governments, educators, and communities must provide childcare facilities, flexible schedules, and emotional support for these women.

We cannot afford to let talent, dreams, and future changemakers fade away because the system lacks heart.


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One Baby, One Gesture, One Legacy

Professor Sydney Engelberg didn’t plan to go viral. He didn’t make a speech. He didn’t demand recognition.

He just saw a mother struggling and decided to help—not with pity, but with respect.

And in that moment, as the baby calmed down in his arms and the lecture continued, he wasn’t just teaching a university class.

He was teaching the world.


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💬 Let’s Talk About It

Have you ever witnessed or experienced support like this in an educational or professional setting? How do you think institutions can better support student mothers?

Share your thoughts below. Let’s make this a space where empathy meets action.