We’ve been keeping it a secret, but Gidon was expecting his first grandchild, with the first day of Rosh Hashanah (September 10) as the due date.

First of all, here is a picture of my daughter Shira Rina (that means “Joyous Song” in Hebrew) with her husband Ori (that means “My Light”).

Well, “Man plans and God Laughs” as the old Yiddish phrase goes, and in spite of my still being en route from my long trip in Texas to my home near Hebron, my daughter Shira Rina didn’t wait, and she gave birth to our first grandson (Devra’s and mine).

I guess you could say I was in their air when he was born, and I still haven’t come down!:-)

Everyone in our small town came up to greet me and wish me Mazal Tov, which literally means Good Luck in Hebrew, but is used exclusively for Congratulations.

Shira Rina and Ori had been living in Safed, in the north of Israel, since their wedding, but since Ori was going into the army (he started about a month ago) and they were expecting, they moved into a small apartment in our community, Maale Hever, which is just ten minutes south of Hebron. This way, Shira Rina could be near her mother, a very popular decision for first time expectant mothers. (of course, Devra works in Jerusalem and I work at home, so de facto she will be near her father more, but that’s fine with me:-)

Meanwhile, here’s a picture of Devra, the little prince, and me:-)