Baby girl born in northern Israel marks first birth of Jewish New Year 5787

The first birth of the Jewish New Year 5787 occured at the North Medical Center (Poriya) on Friday, when a baby girl was born to Hodiya Cohen-Alilishvili of Hodiyot.

Cohen-Alilishvili was 39 weeks pregnant when she arrived at the hospital, with her new baby weighing in at just over 3 kilograms.

She arrived directly from a Rosh Hashanah celebration with her husband Tal and two-and-a-half-year-old daughter at her parents' home in Tiberias, where she began having contractions.

Shift Supervisor and Deputy Midwife Tahrir Masalha attended to the mother, who described Cohen-Alilishvili as "calm and determined" when she arrived.

Masalha: 'No better way to start the new year'

"She had a natural birth without pain medication and cooperated amazingly throughout the entire process," said Masalha. "For us as a team, there is no better way to start the new year than with a birth and new life.

"It is a great privilege to be there with the family at such a moment, especially at the start of a new year filled with joy and hope," she added.