By Joel Magalnick, Editor, JTNews
Max Rosencrantz Medin’s parents are excited about his birthdate: 01/02/03. Max, at barely a week old, probably doesn’t care so much about his sequentially numbered birthdate, but he couldn’t be happier about taking the crown of first Jewish baby of the new year.
When asked about his position as first baby, Max put his tiny hand to his face, closed his eyes, and said nothing. Mom and Dad — Robin and Craig Medin — of Seward Park, however, answered for him.
“I think it’s neat. It’s great. It’s fun,” said Robin. “It makes it feel extra special.”
Weighing in at five pounds, nine ounces, and with a length of 19 inches and change, Max gave his mother an easy time with just four hours of labor. He showed up at 4:16 a.m. He has no brothers or sisters at the moment, but cousins Shoshana and Ariella live right up the street.
Max’s bris was held Thursday. The Medins were excited not only about the ritual, but also about who performed it. “The bris is going to be done by my brother-in-law, a rabbi and a mohel, and Robin’s dad,” said Craig beforehand. Robin’s father, David Rosencrantz, is a urologist.
Max has plenty of extended family to gush over him, both in and out of town. In addition to Shoshana and Ariella, Max has seven other cousins that live in New York and Los Angeles. His maternal grandparents live in Portland, but Robin’s mother Diane says she comes to Seattle as much as possible.
Craig’s parents Selwyn and Wendy Medin are originally from South Africa, and now live in Los Angeles. Max also has two great-grandparents to guide him into the world: Linda Hudesman, wife of the late David Hudesman, of Seattle, and Marge Levy of South Africa.
Max is named for his great grandparents, Max and Minnie Medin, who are no longer alive to share in Craig and Robin’s joy. Max’s Hebrew name, which has not yet been decided upon, will come from Robin’s great aunt Cesia (pronounced Sasha) Amit, who hid in the underground during the Holocaust and helped to found Israel’s first kibbutz.
“My grandma will love it, because it’s her sister,” Robin said.
A story of the first Jewish baby can’t be told without mentioning Max’s competition. Two other go-getters, also boys, vied for the title, but despite being born on the same day, they showed up a few hours later.
Elijah Stephen Lazar, born to David and Gail of Bellevue, joined his brothers Zak, 9, and Josh, 7, at around 2 p.m. Elijah’s grandparents are Judi and Brett Lazar of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Mike Robbins and Rita Robbins of New York. Elijah weighed in at six pounds, 11 ounces.
An hour after Elijah, Benjamin Saltsman and Dina Elikan, also of Seward Park, welcomed their first child into the world. The baby boy, whose name was not disclosed until the bris, is Joshua Daniel Saltsman. Though arriving third of the new-year trio, Joshua was the biggest, at seven pounds, three ounces. His grandparents are Sarah Saltsman of New York and Malka and Harry Elikan of Skokie, Ill.
The proud parents are all exhausted and overjoyed amidst the flurry of feedings and diaper changes. They’re also experimenting with what each crying sound means. New mother Robin Medin said, “We just go through the list each time and see which one works.”
From the Transcript to each of the new families, we wish you all congratulations and best of luck. And to the new arrivals, may you live to see the next 01/02/03.