Happy Birthday!
JRCC Jewish Birthday Initiative
You may have noticed that the JRCC sends every member of our community whose birthday we have on record a personal birthday card. Obviously, this requires a tremendous amount of effort, coordination, time and resources. Why do we do it?
Firstly, sending birthday cards is a way of connecting us as a community, and reminding everyone that there are people and a community who cares about you and thinks about your family - somewhere you can turn to for all your needs.
But there is also a profound spiritual significance to the idea of a Jewish birthday, connected to the inner essence of the individual, which we want to awaken within each of us:
"You, as an individual," said the Chassidic masters, "are special, unique, and utterly indispensable. No person alive, no person who has ever lived, and no person who shall ever live, can fulfill the specific role in G‑d's creation entrusted to you."
Your birthday is chosen by G‑d — not your parents, your astrologer or the obstetrician. Birth is G‑d saying that the world can't go on without you. It is the day that your soul's mission had to begin. There were already nearly six billion people on earth when you were born. Did the world really need you? Can one more soul really make a difference? Obviously the answer is yes; otherwise G‑d would not have sent your soul to this earth. The fact that you were born means there must be some unique gift that you have to offer the world that none of those other six billion people could possibly achieve.
Your birthday is an opportunity to reflect: This is the day that my soul was dispatched on its mission. How is the mission going? Have I been contributing my part to the furthering of G‑d's purpose to create heaven on earth? Have I been doing my bit to enhance and improve myself and my world? How much time and energy do I spend on meaningful pursuits? How much time could I add to that amount in the coming year?
Your birthday is your personal Rosh Hashanah, so you can tap into the energy of this day and utilize it to empower yourself in your personal mission and the priorities of your life in general. So in addition to reminding you that the JRCC is here for you, the birthday card is meant to remind you and empower you to explore the role of purpose in your life.
For more information about the significance of a Jewish birthday, visit our birthday minisite at www.jrcc.org/birthday. The site also includes an easy to use calculator that can tell you your Jewish birthday.
Submit the birthdays of you and your family members or friends in order to receive your annual birthday cards, please call or email us: [email protected] or 416.222.7105.
