Welcome to Noah Warner Gordon

We’ve had a challenging time since my last blog. Straight after the shiva for my father ended Eliya was in and out of hospital for three weeks and then almost exactly a month after my father died (November 13th), Malcolm’s mother passed away, (December 12th). Aged 91, her dementia meant that Malcolm felt he had really already lost her a couple of years previously, but nonetheless it was very sad and felt like the end of an era. Our children had lost two grandparents in a month. After having had to go back and forth to the UK for our ailing parents it was a relief to be able to settle down in Israel for a few weeks, hoping that we would not be called back before our next scheduled trip in March. As irritating as clichés are, they are used for a reason; and so as we came to terms with our losses, so we were also eagerly anticipating the arrival of a new family member, with Ben and Tali’s baby due on 20th March. The circle of life!

We are limited to the number of days we can spend in the UK in each tax year, and had unfortunately used more than we had expected to use in 2022/23. Our plan was to pass through Borehamwood on our way to the Alps and enjoy a few snow days whilst we waited for the baby. On Saturday evening, two days before the baby was due, and the night before we were leaving, we went to Ben and Tali for supper. Tali was convinced that she "felt different" so we decided not to check-in in advance of our flight. And so it was, that when Ben called in the earlier hours of Monday morning (the due date) to announce the arrival of the baby we were, fortuitously, in the right place at the right time. Unfortunately, after 24 hours in labour, Tali ended up having an emergency caesarean, but both mother and baby were fine and baby looked particularly smooth and unsquashed!!

24 hours later and they were home!! Ben and Tali had decided, unusually these days, not to know the gender of the baby and we were thrilled to welcome another little boy to the boys of the Gordon/Cohen clan, another great grandson for my mother, from her boy heavy grandchildren.

Eight days after his birth we gathered at the Kaye’s house for baby Gordon’s Brit Milah and Noah Warner was officially named. After the ceremony Ben spoke about their choice of names.

“Firstly, we chose Noah because we loved the name. Tali and I have very different taste in names and both hated most names the other suggested, so it was a relief to find one we both love.

Noah is named after two very special people. His middle name is Warner, after Graham (Tali's father)'s Dad. I wasn’t lucky enough to meet him, but I’ve heard so much about him. By all accounts he was a warm and funny man who loved his family, especially his grandchildren, who he absolutely adored. He wouldn’t have liked having a Chelsea fan for a great grandson, but otherwise will be looking down beaming with pride. Graham, Tali and I know how close you were with your Dad and it’s such a joy for us to be able to give Noah this name as a small return for everything you do for us.

Noah’s Hebrew name, Yechezkel, is after my Great Uncle Eric.

Following an extraordinary escape from the Nazis, which is worthy of its own speech, Uncle Eric moved in with my Grandpa Gerald's family and he, with his son Jeremy, was an integral part of our family growing up. Despite the difficulties he faced in life he was a kind and extremely interesting man with a broad range of interests, including a love of history which we shared and which he helped foster in me as a child. Although Uncle Eric, unlike Grandpa Warner, wasn’t a football fan, he kept a close eye on everything Chelsea until he was nearly 90, just because he wanted to be able talk to his great nephews about everything they were interested in, which is a testament to the kind of mind he had.

Tali and I hope that by giving Noah these two names we’ll keep both Grandpa Warner and Uncle Eric’s memories alive and give him two fine examples to follow as he embarks on life’s adventures.”

We now eagerly anticipate Alexander, Gila, Tzvi and Eliya joining us in the UK on Sunday and then we will all be able to celebrate our new arrival, and Pesach (Passover), together, including our first Seder with the Kayes.

Happy Easter and Pesach.