ast ▁meaning ▁" to ▁life ". ▁When ▁a ▁couple ▁becomes ▁engaged , ▁they ▁get ▁together ▁with ▁friends ▁and ▁family ▁to ▁celebr ate . ▁Since ▁they ▁drink ▁l ' cha im ▁(" to ▁life "), ▁the ▁celebr ation ▁is ▁also ▁called ▁a ▁l ' cha im . ▁ ▁Heb rew ▁letters ▁are ▁also ▁used ▁as ▁numer als , ▁and ▁the ▁Heb rew ▁letters ▁that ▁spell ▁" ch ai " ▁also ▁stand ▁for ▁the ▁number ▁ 1 8 . ▁Thus , ▁ 1 8 ▁is ▁considered ▁a ▁luck y ▁number ▁in ▁Jewish ▁culture . ▁It ▁is ▁common ▁to ▁give ▁g ifts ▁and ▁contributions ▁to ▁char ity ▁in ▁multi ples ▁of ▁ 1 8 . ▁ ▁Among ▁Argent ine ▁Jews , ▁the ▁Spanish ▁name ▁Ja ime ▁( , ▁a ▁Spanish ▁cogn ate ▁of ▁James ) ▁is ▁often ▁chosen ▁for ▁its ▁ph on etic ▁similarity ▁to ▁Ha im . ▁ ▁Hay im ▁is ▁a ▁non - g overn ment al ▁organization ▁that ▁works ▁on ▁a ▁volunt ary ▁basis ▁to ▁provide ▁relief ▁and ▁support ▁for ▁ped iat ric ▁on col ogy ▁patients ▁in ▁Israel . ▁ ▁People ▁with ▁the ▁given ▁name ▁Ha im ▁Notable ▁people ▁with ▁the ▁name ▁include : ▁ ▁Ha im ▁Ar los or off ▁( 1 8 9 9 – 1 9 3 3 ), ▁Z ion ist ▁politician ▁ ▁Cha im ▁ibn ▁Att ar ▁( 1 6 9 6 – 1 7 4 3 ), ▁the ▁Or ▁H ach a im ▁ ▁Ha im ▁Ben - Sh ah ar , ▁Isra eli ▁econom ist