A Yahrzeit is the anniversary of a person’s death. On the yahrzeit, a variety of activities are performed to help honor the memory of a loved one.
When Should I Say Kaddish for Yahrzeit?
The yahrzeit begins the evening before the date of the yahrzeit. For example, if someone’s yahrzeit is the 5rd day of the Hebrew month of Elul, and that falls on a Wednesday, the observance begins on Tuesday evening after dark, and includes recitation of Mourner’s Kaddish that evening. OZ offers an evening minyan service so that Kaddish can be recited at Ma’ariv (evening service) on the night on which the yahrzeit begins and at Shaharit (morning service) or Mincha (afternoon service) on the day of the yahrzeit. This group ritual links us and the one we remember with God and the Jewish community.
Related Rituals:
The observance of yahrzeit begins by lighting a yahrzeit candle on the evening before the anniversary of a loved one’s death. The candle burns for 24 hours.
At the conclusion of our Shabbat Saturday morning services, we announce all of the yahrzeits for the coming week. You are invited to to come to services that Shabbat to hear the name of a loved one and to recite kaddish. Some may optionally share a few words about their loved one at this time.
The day of a yahrzeit is also is an appropriate time to give tzedaka in a person’s memory and to visit their grave.
Resources:
OZ community members are notified in advance via email (or us mail) of the current year’s calendar date of upcoming yahrzeits, as long as the yahrzeits have been added to a member’s account. Members may add or edit yahrzeit information in their account here.
Article: The Mourner’s Kaddish: A Memorial Prayer in Praise of God by My Jewish Learning
