In the latest Woody Allen movie the crusty, misanthropic Boris Yelnikoff sings “Happy Birthday” to himself, twice, every time he washes his hands. In one of the only vaguely engaging quirks of this surprisingly boring film, Allen’s alter ego figures that chant “Happy Birthday to me” twice, spans exactly the length of time it takes to rid his neurotic knuckles of germs. Even a cranky curmudgeon like Boris likes humming a happy tune.

Every birthday is a special day. First birthdays, tenth birthdays, twenty-firsts, eightieth, one hundred years old … every age calls for a celebration. But in Israel there are thousands of children, (tens of thousands if you count teenagers), who have never had a party. Their day of birth passes unheralded, with no cake or candles, no presents, no songs. Ruthie Sobel Luttenberg is out to change all that.

Ruthie, (53, “mother of three children and a dog”) who immigrated to Israel from New Jersey in 1973, began volunteering with underprivileged children almost immediately upon arrival here. “I became a ‘big sister’ to a little girl called Malka,” she explains, “helping her with homework. One day I asked her when her birthday was, and she shrugged her shoulders. She didn’t know. So we chose a date, invited friends, and had a party with cakes and games. It was glorious.” Ruthie repeated the ‘birthday’ experience for the next six years and the seed of her enterprise was sown.

Ruthie went on to graduate as an educational guidance councilor with an MA in philosophy and began to work in informal education. She developed “Rich Rach” - a high-end “theme party” business which lived up to its name in an unintentional manner – the elaborate parties catered solely to the rich. “I know that parties and feeling special give children a wonderful sense of self-esteem, not to mention great joy,” says Ruthie, “and it irked me that the kids who really needed this could not afford it.” Luckily for those children Ruthie is a powerhouse of energy and ideas; she deliberated, came up with a plan, and spun into action. In early 2004 “Birthday Angels” was born.

‘Birthday Angels” is a concept that comes from thinking inside a box. In this case the ‘box’ is a brightly colored bag of goodies that includes decorations, stickers and games to make the birthday child feel like royalty. Activities are age-related and center around the child of the day: their favorite colors, games and TV shows, what they want to be when they grow up. ‘Guests’ at the party pay compliments to the honored child, dance for them and sing. Bingo, finger puppets, magnetic fishing hooks and friendship bracelets add to the fun; wearing a birthday crown gives the child an extra dollop of respect. Music, prizes and decorations complete the atmosphere: and, for an hour at least, every child feels special. The festive focus is on the birthday child, and the positive input is more than just an hour of fun; children who are unused to being the center of anything suddenly feel like a king or queen for a day. “I loved it that everyone was looking at me,” wrote one little girl in her thank you card; “thank you for that.”

A donation of double ‘chai’ ($36) pays for a party kit and turns you into a “Birthday Angel” as you provide the cash for one birthday bash. Then the organization kicks in; manning the celebrations are volunteers from a large number of bodies including the Weizmann Institute tutorial project, Perach; the Jewish Agency, the Joint, youth volunteer and education departments, and municipalities.  And here’s where the project becomes even better: “Birthday Angels” trains teenagers at risk themselves to become party facilitators in their own communities; blowing out two sets of candles with one breath. As well as learning the techniques of playing the party games, over five hundred teens so far have been taught responsibility and commitment, planning and organization, group management, problem solving and time management; skills they have put into practice with over 6000 partygoers. Dalia Ratzon, youth volunteer director at the Ramat Hasharon Municipality has nothing but praise for the initiative. “When teenagers at risk are given an opportunity to volunteer and the experience is positive, it turns them around,” she explains, building their own self-esteem and confidence as they help the birthday children with their own self image.

In four years the project has grown from 150 parties a year to very nearly 3,000: the birthday boys and girls include Jews, Arabs, Bedouins, Ethiopians, children of foreign workers and Sudanese refugees, as well as children who are handicapped or unwell. Privileged children in the Diaspora can donate a part of their birthday bounty to perform a mitzvah that connects them personally with a child in Israel; anyone, anywhere, can become a Birthday Angel at the click of a mouse. A donation facilitates a party; the Angel later receives a handwritten card of thanks from that lucky boy or girl.

Future plans include new “Sesame Street” kits stocked by ToysRUs Israel which will soon be on their shelves nationwide. Be a ‘Birthday Angel’ and ensure that at least one less child in Israel will have to sing “Happy Birthday to Me” – a whole roomful of mates will be serenading him.

For more details please visit: www.birthday-angels.org