Attendees at the Jewish celebration of Lag B’Omer on May 5 at Dunwoody’s Congregation Ariel gathered to pet rabbits, sheep, pigs, ducks, chickens, and bunnies, but got more than they bargained for when Mable the sheep suddenly gave birth to a little lamb.
Mable, according to Cricket’s Mobile Petting Zoo owner Jessica Franklin, was thought to be sterile because of an earlier infection. Mable had only been at the zoo for a couple of months, and a sheep’s typical gestation period is about five months, according to the Reproduction Specialty Group website.
Lag B’Omer, the 33rd day of the Omer count, is a festive day on the Jewish calendar. According to Chabad.org, customs include lighting bonfires, having picnics, giving haircuts, and celebrating weddings.
The four-pound lamb was named Ariel by the congregation, which means “Lion of God” in Hebrew. It was born after an eight-minute labor, Franklin said.
“Nobody had ever seen a lamb born before, so it was very exciting to witness,” said Naomi Fink, the wife of the synagogue’s rabbi, Pinchas, who, along with four adults and a handful of children, saw the birth.
According to witnesses, the baby immediately began to nurse, which was an immediate relief to the crowd. The onset of Mable’s labor had a distinctly different reaction along gender lines, according to Fink and Franklin.
“Most of the men were urging people to move away from the situation, while the women were saying, ‘No, we’ve got to stay around and help Mable,'” Franklin said.
Cricket’s Mobile Petting Zoo has about 200 rescued or surrendered animals on its 13-acre Kennesaw farm. It offers on-site or mobile parties featuring its menagerie of ducks, pigs, sheep, chickens, and bunnies.
The mother and daughter will be able to join the parties after they receive medical clearance. The congregation has asked that the duo visit during next year’s Lag B’Omer celebration, which Franklin said is sure to happen.
“Every time we go out on a job, we open the gate, and the animals who want to go to work, go out,” Franklin said. “Mable is always the first one out there. She absolutely loves it, and I’m sure this little lady will too.”
Fink said she felt honored to witness Ariel’s birth, calling it a “special and exciting” event.
“We love that little Ariel came to Congregation Ariel, and we can’t wait for her to come back,” Fink said.
