Last night the Abu Arar family from Burgatah in the Sharon area sat down as usual to break the Ramadan fast. The father of the family, 58-year-old Shahdah, sat at the head of the long table and looked at his large family: Eight wives, 20 little grandchildren, and 67 children. The eldest of his children is 37 and the youngest is a newborn child.

Shahdah Abu Arar has broken Israel's fatherhood record. He started out in 1967. "My first wife was a member of my tribe from the village of Arar in the Negev. We had a lot of children at the time; I had 31 children from my first two wives. The eldest already has his own children, and they all live with me in the complex surrounding my house. We are a very close family," Shahdah says.

"My first wife is my age, and nowadays I hardly spend any time with her," Shahdah describes his daily routine. "Her children have grown, and I leave her alone. I have younger wives to be with. Every night I decide which wife to go to. I really feel like an effendi in my home. My wives do whatever I want and they very much want me to spend time with them."

Shahdah prefers that his wives not be photographed. "I prefer them to stay at home, they have a lot to do. Each one has to take care of her own children, and I have my own chores. I make sure they are all fed. It's very difficult. But thank God my children help out, and we make a good living."...