President de Kirchner met Yair Tawil – son of Shlomo Tawil, director of the Chabad House in Rosario, Argentina – and his family at her office last week to mark the unusual ceremony, which dates back more than 100 years aimed to counteract a legend that a seventh son born after six boys with no girls in between becomes a werewolf whose bite can turn others into a werewolf.
Under the law, the boys receive presidential protection, a gold medal and a scholarship for all studies until their 21st birthday.
Shlomo and Nehama Tawil, parents of seven boys, in 1993 wrote a letter to the president asking for the honor, and got their wish this year, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported. On Tuesday, Yair became the first Jewish godson of a president in Argentina’s history. Fernandez received Yair, his parents and three of his brothers in her office, where they lit Hanukkah candles together.
The president in her tweets and photos described the meeting on Twitter as a “magical moment” with a “marvelous family.”
“It was magical to receive Iair Tawil, the first presidential godson in national history to profess the Jewish faith. Iair, 21, is completely sweet. His family, marvelous. His mother Reina Ester. His father, Salomón, a rabbi. His brothers: Rafael, Eliel, Eitan,’ she wrote in a series of tweets. “I didn’t know, but his visit coincided with the celebration of Hanukkah. His father said it was no coincidence. He was right. They brought me the gift of a menorah. They asked me to light the candles, and for Lair to say the prayer. A very special moment. Later, they told me to blow them out and make a wish. Don’t even dream I’m going to tell you what it was.”
