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'My first and last woman': Jewish couple who have been married for 91 years reflect on inseparable bond

Zechariah and Shama married at a very young age and had 11 children, which led to a giant family of 64 grandchildren

BBC has shared a heart-warming video of a Jewish couple who have been married for 91 years and are still very much deeply in love. The elderly couple shared insights into a successful marriage and what has kept the pair strong during their time dealing with poverty and anti-Semitic persecution in Yemen. While to live 90 years is a great feat on its own, sharing 90 years with someone is another thing altogether and Zechariah and Shama were undeniably successful in achieving both.

Zechariah and Shama were married when they were only 12 and 11 respectively, which was normal at the time in the community. The couple has stayed strong through many years and shared their experience of early life. "We both grew up as orphans. He was motherless, so was I," Shama said while also admitting they never led a luxurious life, "We suffered. There is no worse suffering than we had experienced. There is none."

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Both Zechariah and Shama were born in Yemen and were among some of the first Yemenis to move to Israel. The couple has gone through many tough times, but that has never affected their bond. "We had no house. We cleaned the donkey's barn and lived in it," Shama added. Soon, Zechariah spoke about having 11 children in a blink of an eye, "One. Two. Three... I can't even remember how many were there, there were many," The pair started a family after moving to Israel in 1948. The family eventually grew larger - they have 64 grandchildren at the time of writing. 

While the husband and wife share an inseparable bond, they also communicate with a similar sense of humor, which could explain their successful years together. "Remember, this is my first and last woman. And I never threw her out," Zechariah said jokingly. After saying something inaudible, his wife shushes him completely in response. 

When asked about the secret of love, Zechariah quite proudly stated, "God sent her to me. I was lucky to win her." "Women flocked to me like a herd of sheep, but I didn't take any of them," he added. On the other hand, his wife recalled them rarely fighting and enjoying their time together, which has sustained their marriage for so long. Toward the end of the video, Zechariah expressed his desire to die with his wife. "God has protected us all the way. And let the two of us die together," he said.