(Courtesy of Bris Avrohom) The Lubavitcher Rebbe asked that a birthday be celebrated as a moment of gratitude to God. On the day of one’s birth, God entrusted that individual with a special neshama along with blessings and the ability to fulfill Torah and mitzvot as well as the ability to make this world a dwelling place for God. He suggested that the celebration be in the form of a farbrengen with L=l’chaim! The person celebrating his birthday should take on good resolutions and encourage his/her friends to do the same.

Rabbi Kanelsky celebrated his birthday on two separate evenings. The first was with the Russian Jewish community. He spoke about adding on mitzvot and specifically the mitzvah of tefillin. Two attendees purchased new tefillin and undertook to put on Tefillin every day in honor of this occasion.

Rabbi Kanelsky then celebrated his birthday with the members of the shul. He made a siyum on a masechta and encouraged the crowd to increase their study of Torah. He suggested that each person should strive to learn at least a masechta each year.

Mendy Kanelsky, the son of Rabbi Kanelsky, prepared a sumptuous dinner for both occasions with lots of l’chaim.