EMEK HEFER, ISRAEL — With eight wives and 67 children, Shahadeh Abu Arrar, 58, has given new meaning to the term “family man.” Even in Israel’s Bedouin Arab community, where men commonly have several wives and many children, Abu Arrar is exceptional.
“I’m thinking about a new wife, No. 9,” he said recently. “There are many women who wish to marry me, and there is no lack of women. I never had a problem with such things.”
It’s unclear how Abu Arrar supports his massive family. Camels, goats and a cow were grazing on his property. He also receives about $1,700 in government handouts each month. His oldest child is 37.
Abu Arrar claims to remember all his children’s names and says they are split almost evenly between boys and girls.
The Associated Press
