Avi Aaron
Avi Aaron is named after Joel's Grandfather, Aaron Levin, a true "scholar and gentleman" (to turn one of his characteristic compliments back on him). Aaron, an ophthalmologist and war veteran, was a wise, kind-hearted, and intellectual soul. We hope some of these wonderful characteristics are inherited by our son. Aaron is survived by his wife, Avi's great-grandmother, Barbara Levin.
Avi Aaron's Hebrew name is אֲבִי אַהֲרֹן, pronounced "Ah-vee Ah-hah-ron."
Avi's Birth Stats
- Birth Time: 1:14 am pst
- Weight: 6 lbs 12 oz
- Length: 19 3/4 inches
Ayla Rose
We chose the name Ayla (pronounced "ae-lah", with a long "A", in Hebrew: אֵילַה) because we thought it was a beautiful name in sound, meaning and origin. In Hebrew, Ayla is a variation of the word for “Oak Tree.” We hope that Ayla will grow to personify the confidence, strength, and longevity of an oak tree--much like those that surround us in our new home here in the “East Bay” of Northern California. Oak trees, which are native to this area, are protected, and they line the city streets as well as the nature preserves. There is something special about an Oak tree: we marvel at their beauty, peacefully anchoring the landscape, as we walk around the reservoir while appreciating the diversity of the species and the strength of its wood. They enhance the world for all of us, stand majestically amid the storms, provide shelter, and exude a strength that we hope will inspire Ayla.
We chose Rose as a middle name because Ayla has wonderful female role models in her lineage who also share the Letter R as their first initial, and we want her to identify strongly with them as she navigates her way through different challenges and triumphs in her own life. Ayla Rose is named after Rose Grossman - her paternal great, great grandmother, and Helen Ruth - her maternal great grandmother.
Grossman Camps, now run by the Jewish Community Center, was started in honor of Rose and Jacob Grossman by their children. These camps are now the largest Jewish Day Camps in Massachusetts, providing quality Jewish education, camp life, and values to their campers. They offer scholarships as well as inclusion for children with special needs. Indeed, a very nice tribute to Rose and Jacob, and a reminder to Ayla that she comes from a family who continually strives to better the world of those they come in contact with -- offering opportunity, empathy, compassion, education, and financial support to those who need it most.
Helen Ruth is a woman of extreme confidence, strength, stamina, wisdom, love, and generosity. She is definitely the Oak tree of Holly’s family. At 96, she continues to take walks, visit the grocery store, get her own mail, garden and water her plants, play games with her children like cribbage and ad-lib, solves crossword puzzles and reads daily, sings and hums to herself as she goes about her daily chores, and will make us all beam as she spontaneously moves joyfully to music. She and Holly’s grandfather, Vyron, had 12 children (10 surviving) who all have a strong connection to their siblings and life on the farm where they grew up and where Helen still lives. She has family visit her daily, and some have even decided to alternate staying the night with her so she has companionship at all times. She has fostered a wonderfully loving, caring, and nurturing community full of laughter and joy. As Holly was growing up in Washington State her grandparents would come each year from their home in Minnesota for the Winter months to live with them. Holly has very fond memories of those times with her grandparents, and forged a close and special relationship with her grandmother. Helen has Holly’s deepest admiration and respect and she finds her to be an incredibly unique individual.
We also find it significant and important to mention that Ayla comes into this world with two AMAZING aunties who also share with her the first initial R. Her maternal Aunt, Robin Raye, and her paternal Aunt, Debra Rachel. We hope Ayla will feel a special kinship with these two women as they are sure to be integral to her growth and development throughout life. Both of them will be there to offer her support, guidance, strength, humor, love, warmth, and wisdom, and we encourage Ayla to confide in them as she sees fit. Ayla is extremely lucky to have these two women in her life, and we hope their bonds are strong and authentic.
Ayla Rose's Hebrew name is אֵילַה וֶרֶד, pronounced "ae-lah ve-red."
Ayla's Birth Stats
- Birth Time: 3:21 AM pst
- Weight: 7 lbs 7 oz
- Length: 20 inches
