60 for Old Age

A customer asked me to make a special birthday card for her sister, who was turning 60 in August. She told me that her sister has seven children and now four little granddaughters. Family is very important to her. She also has a Labrador called Sunny.

My customer's sister was born in England, lived in Israel for 20+ years, and now lives in New York. Israel and Judaism are very important to her. Oh, and apparently she is a brilliant baker as well.

I decided to show my customer's sister proudly showing off some of the incredible bread she bakes. She is also holding a book of Tehillim. Psalms ("Tehillim"), the first book of the section in the Hebrew Bible called Writings, is an anthology of 150 poems attributed to King David and to others. It includes songs of praise to God, laments of communal or personal tragedy, and expressions of anger, despair, hope, and gratitude.
Behind her, small flags of the UK, USA, and Israel represent the countries she has lived in, with the Israeli flag made more prominent. I added a small graphic representing the family that is so important to her. My customer was keen for me to also show a range of children - some Haredi and some with tattoos! The dog was also included as well.
Finally, the Hebrew greeting on the card says:

60 לזקנה = זה קנה הדעת

The Hebrew phrase from Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) 5:21 is a play on words and gematria (Hebrew numerology), where letters and numbers hold symbolic meaning. The literal translation means:

"60 for old age = this one has acquired wisdom"

   "60 לזקנה"

means "60 [is the age] of old age". This refers to the traditional idea that age 60 marks the beginning of "זקנה" (old age), as mentioned in Jewish sources.

"זה קנה הדעת" - "This one has acquired knowledge/wisdom" is a wordplay: The Hebrew letters in "זה קנה הדעת" (zeh kanah hada'at) add up numerically to 60 using gematria. It also implies that by reaching 60, a person has gained true wisdom or understanding.
So, the greeting is a poetic way of saying that turning 60 isn't just about getting older - it's about reaching an age of wisdom and insight. The phrase implies respect and honour for someone who has lived long enough to gain deep understanding.

My customer's sister loved the card.

* This post has been shared on Happiness is Homemade, Craft Schooling Sunday and Busy Monday.