Jews & Birthdays
Do Jews Celebrate Birthdays?
The celebration of birthdays is unknown in traditional Jewish ritual, in fact the only reference to a birthday in the Bible is that celebrated by Pharaoh (Gen. 40:20).
But that doesn't mean that Jews don't celebrate birthdays. As Chabad puts it, "there's a Jewish way for everything!"
Important Birthdays
There are some birthdays that are especially significant in Jewish tradition:
The age of five for the study of the Bible; then ten for the study of the Mishnah ; 13 for the commandments; 15 for the study of Talmud ; 18 for marriage; 20 for earning a living; 30 for power; 40 for understanding; 50 for giving advice; 60 for old age, seventy for grey hairs; 80 for special strength, 90 for bowed back; 100–it is as if he had died and passed away. (Pirkei Avot 5:21)
Additionally, the age of three is significant for Hasidic boys due to Upsheren (the first haircut), and 83 is the age when many Jews will have a second B'Mitzvah (due to the idea from Psalm 90:10 that 70 is a full life).
These dates are all calculated by one's Hebrew Birthday.
Hebrew Birthdays
A Hebrew birthday (also known as a Jewish birthday) is the date on which a person is born according to the Hebrew calendar.
This is important for Jews, particularly when calculating the correct date for day of birth because the Jewish calendar differs from the secular and Christian Gregorian calendar as well as from the Islamic calendar, in most years the two birthdays do not coincide - typically, they coincide just once in 19 years.
What blessing can I say on my Hebrew birthday?
The shehecheyanu blessing is recited whenever doing something for the first time, or for the first time that year.
For that reason, it can be said on a birthday.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יי אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הַעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְּמַן הַזֶּה
Baruch atah HaShem, elocheynu melech ha'olam, shehecheyanu, v'kimanu, v'higianu, la'azman hazeh.
Blessed are You,HaShem our G!d, Ruler of the Universe, who has granted us life, sustained us and enabled us to reach this season.