Happy New Year and Mazal Tov! First Israeli babies of 2023 say hello

A number of Israeli couples welcomed new babies with the start of the New Year of 2023 at hospitals across Israel early Sunday morning.

Biti Yaakovi and Gal Yifrah from Ashdod welcomed their first daughter at Sheba Medical Center early Sunday morning.

"We were blessed with a stunning team that accompanied us throughout the birth. Reut and both midwives were amazing!" said Yaakovi and Yifrah.

At Yitzhak Shamir Medical Center, Liel and Sergey Levitsky from Rehovot welcomed their new baby boy just after midnight.

"What fun it is to start the new year with the expansion of the family, with optimism and joy. We also gave birth to our two previous sons in Asaf Harofeh (the old name for the medical center), and here the third one joins the lineage. We looked forward to the birth every day and how fun it was that it arrived shortly after the beginning of the new civil year," said the Levitsky's. "The birth went smoothly and we would like to thank from the bottom of our hearts the wonderful team at the Shamir Maternity Department and especially Dr. Adi Teitler and the midwife Yasmin Gabai who accompanied us during the birth with extraordinary professionalism and service. We wish everyone a happy new year, with happy news, health and sweet beginnings, just like with us."

At Meir Medical Center, Yael and Raz Tuizer from Kfar Saba rang in the New Year with the birth of their baby daughter, a new brother for their children Yuval and Gili.

"The labor started on the fourth," said Yael. "We didn't think I would give birth on the 1st, but thanks to Meir's amazing team that accompanied us with professionalism and sensitivity, the experience was as easy as possible and the baby came out healthy and on time."

At Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, Tal and Nahum Ben-Zaken from Hadera welcomed their fourth son and Yasmin and Mahmoud Wishahi from Arara welcomed their second daughter, Milan, along with the New Year.

178,000 new babies born last year in Israel

As of the end of 2022, about 9.7 million people were living in the State of Israel, 7.1 million of whom were Jewish, 2 million of whom were Arab and 513,000 of whom were from other sectors, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics.

The country's population grew by 204,000 in 2022, a 2.2% increase. 178,000 new babies were born last year and 82,000 new immigrants arrived in the country. 74.8% of Israel's new mothers last year were Jewish, while 23.8% were Arab and 1.4% were from other sectors.