Glimpse of Hashem's hand

He was called Pickles, The Yeled, The Little Guy and K’tantan, but this week surrounded by family and loved ones the miracle baby was named Avraham Natanel Libin. On Monday as the Woodmere community gathered for morning minyan at Young Israel, one of the youngest of Israel exemplified faith and prayer to the congregation.

Avraham, whose English name is James Abraham, was born in the 30th week of pregnancy. Compounding the peril of his 10-week premature birth, Avraham suffered from Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) causing his size to be even smaller with a gestated age of actually 26 weeks. At the time of birth he was 2.1 lbs and for one month breathed through a respirator. For 67 days his parents, Marc and Chaviva Libin, were familiar fixtures at the Weill Cornell Medical Center until last Friday when they finally celebrated their baby’s first Shabbos at home.

Although Jewish boys are usually given their name at the time of the circumcision, the question regarding this little one’s naming lingered. “He’s too small for a bris,” Marc Libin explained. “The doctors recommended holding off for a few months. But we were told he shouldn’t go too long without a name. When you call a baby by a nickname, if the name gets too strong, then that nickname could be considered his halachic name. So he needed a name.”

In attendance were grandparents Elly and Suzie Libin of Woodmere and Stuie and Claire Hershkowitz of Baka, Israel. “We saw a glimpse of Hashem’s hand,” Elly said. “It’s a Purim story, from a terrible prediction to a beautiful baby.” During the breakfast, following the naming, Stuie Hershkowitz explained to those gathered that Avraham was named after his father-in-law and he hoped the baby would grow up to learn of his namesake’s life, “He was a Holocaust survivor.”

The Libin family is a multi generation well-respected member of the Young Israel of Woodmere and the entire community has been praying for the baby’s survival and his struggle to beat all the odds against him. As they celebrated his coming home, his new name, and his 6 lb weight, great grandmother Beverly Libin joyously proclaimed, “We are so excited; it is truly shehechiyanu, v’kiyamanu, v’higiyanu lazman hazeh!”