Apples and honey in the delivery room
BEKI Rabbi and wife welcome Rosh Hashana baby
Reprinted by permission from the Connecticut Jewish Ledger, 10 October 1997, p. 10
By Lisa S. Lenkiewicz
NEW HAVEN -- Rabbi Jon-Jay Tilsen's Rosh Hashanah sermon was about the impressive growth of Congregation Beth El-Keser Israel. In particular, he cited the number of children now coming to the New Haven synagogue.
Four years ago, when he assumed the pulpit at BEKI, there were about 70 children. Today, there are 165.
"Oops -- I mean 166!" said the rabbi, announcing the joyous news that he and his wife, Miriam Benson, welcomed a baby girl into the world on Erev Rosh Hashanah.
Baby Benson-Tilsen is the first Jewish child known to be born in Connecticut in the New Year. She arrived on 1 Tishrei 5758 (Wednesday, Oct. 1, at 8:18 p.m. to be precise).
The Essentials
When Miriam, almost two weeks overdue, went to Yale-New Haven Hospital Wednesday afternoon, she was already in labor. The rabbi knew it might be a long night. So Tilsen packed an overnight bag with all of the essentials -- apples and honey, challah and grape juice!
In the delivery room, between weighing and measuring the baby, the rabbi, his wife, their midwife and labor nurse ushered in the New Year with the traditional Rosh Hashanah food.
At 11 p.m. that night, the rabbi walked some three and a half miles home from the hospital, and was in synagogue on time Thursday morning for services. "I was nervous about his walking home so late at night, but he wasn't worried," said Miriam. "Since it was Rosh Hashanah, I couldn't speak to him on the phone to make sure he got home okay."
The next day, Tilsen walked back to the hospital. This time he brought a shofar, which he blew not only for his wife, but also for other Jewish patients.
The miracle of creation
This baby is number three for the couple, who also have a daughter, Gilah, 6 1/2, and a son, Tsvi, 4 1/2. The baby's name was to be announced at the simchat bat baby naming during the Shaharit morning service on Thursday, Oct. 9.
"I've never missed a Rosh Hashanah service in my life," said Miriam, adding that Rosh Hashanah being "such a communal holiday," it was especially hard for her to be alone in the hospital. But, she noted, as Jon-Jay said from the pulput, what joy to witness the miracle of creation on the day we mark the birthday of the world.
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Return to News & Events PageEmail to Rabbi Jon-Jay Tilsen: jjtilsen@beki.org