Birthdays
What Is a Hebrew Birthday?
For thousands of years, Jews have followed the Jewish/Hebrew calendar (that features months named Tishrei, Kheshvan, etc.). Today, while the Gregorian/Christian calendar (January, February, etc.) predominates, many Jews follow both systems, observing Jewish and Israeli holidays on their Jewish calendar dates, and conducting daily activities and life events according to the Gregorian calendar.
This duality creates two opportunities for birthday celebrations: our Gregorian birthday, and/or our Hebrew birthday—and why not!
How Does This Work?
Say you were born on April 18, 2012. Your Hebrew birthdate that year was Nisan 26, 5772, which coincided with April 18th. While your Gregorian birthday will continue to fall on April 18 each year, your Hebrew birthday will shift. For example, in 2013, Nisan 26 fell on April 6. Although April 18th and Nisan 26 coincided during your birth year, it may take some time before they coincide again. Have a look at this 18-year projection:
Had you been born on April 18, 2012, you would have celebrated your Hebrew birthday on 17 separate Gregorian dates before turning 18—happy birthday, dear!
Israeli Birthday Customs
Many Israeli birthday customs are similar to ours: parties, presents, singing, cakes, candles… Here are some birthday traditions that are practiced in Israel you may not have known about:
- The birthday “king” or “queen” wears a fragrant, fresh flower crown. Our model is rocking the party store version.
- On the cake, an extra candle is added “for next year.”
- After making a wish and blowing out the candles, everyone rushes over to grab a leg of the chair on which you are seated. All together, they lift the chair with you in it as many times as there are candles on the cake.
- Daniel and his friends will show you. that the chair dance is not uniquely Israeli.
- It can happen at a home party, or at a fancy Bar Mitzvah.
Songs
Israel has always prioritized children, so it should come as no surprise that there are dozens (actually, it’s probably in the hundreds) of well-known and frequently-sung Hebrew birthday songs for kids. This 10-song medley is just a taste. The more popular songs are also sung well into adulthood, including this iconic “Happy Birthday,” performed by a classic 90’s boy band Eden.