By COLlive reporter
This 25 Adar II, the Jewish birthday of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushka Schneerson OBM, marks the groundbreaking beginning of the Jewish birthday campaign by the Rebbe, 34 years ago.
Shortly after the Rebbetzin’s passing in 1988, her husband the Rebbe launched a new initiative: The birthday campaign, a call for every Jew to celebrate and observe their birthdays by hosting Jewish gatherings and adding in Jewish observance.
To help to bring this campaign to a new level, Rabbi Anchelle Perl, Director of Chabad Mineola has introduced a novel program called “Long Island Leaders for Meaningful Jewish Birthday.”
This is a video documentary of interviews with leaders in government, business and community describing what their birthday means to them.
The documentary will be distributed around the world to help inspire everyone to know and celebrate their Jewish birthday and celebrate it in an uplifting manner.
“I am honored to take this lead helping the Rebbe’s Jewish Birthday campaign,” noted celebrity lawyer Michael L. Soshnick, the major sponsor of this project.
“It’s amazing to see the excitement and response from the VIPS in business and industry joining us,” said Jonathan Kroll Esq. chairman of this birthday endeavor.
With the help of Rabbi Simon Jacobson of the Meaningful Life Center, Chabad Mineola has produced a beautiful 16-page birthday guide called ‘The Blueprint for a Meaningful Birthday’.
Rabbi Perl says he has been hooked on the campaign ever since it was initiated by the Rebbe.
“When the Rebbe first began this birthday campaign,” he told COLlive.com, “I submitted to the Rebbe a very simple looking Jewish Birthday Certificate, that records the person’s Jewish name and date of their Jewish birthday, plus a list of the customs on how to celebrate purposely.”
He did not receive a response from the Rebbe, but a few days later he received from Rabbi JJ Hecht OBM, head of the NCFJE organization under which Chabad Mineola operated.
“You are telling the boss on me,” Rabbi Hecht said in his amicably loud voice.
What do you mean? Rabbi Perl responded with trepidation.
Rabbi Hecht went on to say how he has received a note from the Rebbe, “how is it that your Long Island Division is doing this and not you?”
Rabbi Perl concludes that it was all the response he needed from the Rebbe to care about this initiative and revive it in honor of the Rebbe’s upcoming 120th birthday.
Addressing the campaign are Dr. Marc Adler, Chief Medical Officer of NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island; Nassau County Government Advisor Dan Alter; Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman; Frank Goldberg, Director of CX Strategic Accounts at Oracle; Town of North Hempstead Councilwoman Veronica Lurvey; Nassau County Legislator Mazi Melesa Pilip and others.
The full video will be available before the 11th of Nissan.
Click here to watch video clips
