42 | MARCH 28 • 2024
J
N
O
n Feb. 18, 2024,
1-month-old Jacob
Leonard (Yaakov
Levi) Weiss took center stage
in a rare Jewish ritual. Unlike
the previous ritual he’d starred
in on his eighth day of life, he
didn’t find this one painful in
the slightest. In fact, he slept
through the ceremony.
There is a little known but
clearly worded Torah com-
mandment (Exodus 13:12-15)
to redeem firstborn sons,
along with firstborn farm ani-
mals. The only
way to do this is
to have a Pidyon
HaBen, literally
Redemption of
the Son.
Jacob is the son
to first-time par-
ents Malka and
Isaac Weiss of Oak Park, who
have been married two years.
Malka is a labor and delivery
nurse, and Isaac is an orches-
tra teacher. They were delight-
ed to welcome the crowd of
80 or so family and friends to
their unusual simchah, which
took place at Young Israel of
Oak Park — especially as nei-
ther of them had previously
attended a Pidyon HaBen.
At the ceremony, Daniel
Kohn, who is a Kohein, asked
Isaac: “Would you rather have
your son or the coins that you
are obligated to give?”
“Of course, it’s a rhetorical
question,” explained Daniel.
This was the first time he
had the honor of serving
as the Kohein at a Pidyon
HaBen. In fact, when Isaac
first approached him about
“doing” their Pidyon HaBen,
Daniel, owner of Kravings
and Quality Kosher Catering
in Oak Park, thought he was
referring to catering the event.
Once they ironed out that little
misunderstanding, Daniel was
delighted to accept his role in
the ceremony. He has forever
been extremely proud of his
status as Kohen, a feeling he’d
inherited from his own father,
Paul Kohn, of blessed memory.
To prepare, Daniel studied
the subject of Pidyon HaBen
with Rabbi Shmuel Kresch.
“The ceremony was like a
little skit, with lines that both
Isaac and I read aloud,” Daniel
said. “The whole thing is so
unique and interesting,
To Daniel’s question, Isaac’s
response was, “I will give you
the coins as I am obligated to
by the Torah.”
Isaac then paid Daniel the
requisite five silver coins to
“redeem” Jacob. Those coins
were minted in Israel, specif-
ically for this mitzvah, and
sourced through an online
Redemption of the firstborn son.
A Rare
Celebration
Daniel
Kohn
ROCHEL BURSTYN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Isaac and
Malka Weiss
at Jacob’s
bris
ANNA SPAGNUOLO
At the Pidyon HaBen
ceremony, Daniel Kohn is
holding baby Jacob.
FRANCI FELD
continued on page 44