Please see our Mourning Page for general information on Jewish mourning.

What is a Yahrzeit?

A Yahrzeit is a Jewish tradition that commemorates the anniversary of a person’s death. It is observed annually on the Hebrew calendar, typically based on the day of death. Common practices include lighting a memorial candle, reciting the Kaddish prayer, doing tzedakah, sponsoring a community Kiddush meal, visiting the grave, and gathering with family to remember and honour the deceased. The Yahrzeit serves as a time for reflection, remembrance, and paying respects to the departed loved one.

Beth Torah is here to support you and your family on memorializing your loved ones’ yahrziets. We publish the yahrzeits of our membership weekly in our communication channels, and remind family members of upcoming yahrzeits throughout the year.

Please click here to reach out to the office if you have any questions.

When do I light candles?

Candles are lit at sundown on the eve of the anniversary of the person’s death. The candle typically burns for approximately 24 hours, symbolizing the duration of a day. The Yahrzeit date is determined based on the Hebrew calendar, and the candle is lit at the beginning of that day in the evening.

Please reach out to the office if you need a candle for lighting.

Mourner’s Kaddish Prayer

In Aramaic, the Mourner’s Kaddish is the prayer traditionally uttered to commemorate the departed, despite its absence of explicit references to death. This prayer is integrated into each of the three daily prayer services. It is recited by mourner’s commemorating a yahrzeit.

TEXT IN ARAMAIC (From Sefaria):

 יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא
בְּעָלְמָא דִּי בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵהּ וְיַמְלִיךְ מַלְכוּתֵהּ בְּחַיֵּיכון וּבְיומֵיכון וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל בֵּית יִשרָאֵל בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
 יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא
 יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאַר וְיִתְרומַם וְיִתְנַשּא וְיִתְהַדָּר וְיִתְעַלֶּה וְיִתְהַלָּל שְׁמֵהּ דְּקֻדְשָׁא. בְּרִיךְ הוּא
לְעֵלָּא מִן כָּל בִּרְכָתָא בעשי”ת: לְעֵלָּא לְעֵלָּא מִכָּל וְשִׁירָתָא תֻּשְׁבְּחָתָא וְנֶחֱמָתָא דַּאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְמָא. וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
יְהֵא שְׁלָמָא רַבָּא מִן שְׁמַיָּא וְחַיִּים עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשרָאֵל. וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
עושה שָׁלום בִּמְרומָיו הוּא יַעֲשה שָׁלום עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן

TEXT TRANSLITERATED:

Yitgadal v’yitkadash sh’mei raba

b’alma di v’ra chir’utei; v’yamlich malchutei b’hayeichon u-v’yomeichon, uv’hayei d’chol beit yisrael, ba-agala u-vi-z’man kariv, v’imru amen.

Y’hei sh’mei raba m’varach l’alam u-l’almei almaya.

Yitbarach v’yishtabah, v’yitpa’ar v’yitromam, v’yitnasei v’yit-hadar, v’yit’aleh v’yit’halal sh’mei d’kudsha, b’rich hu,

l’ela min kol birchata v’shirata, tushb’hata v’nehemata, da-amiran b’alma, v’imru amen.

Y’hei sh’lama raba min sh’maya, v’hayim, aleinu v’al koi yisrael, v’imru amen.

Oseh shalom bi-m’romav, hu ya’aseh shalom aleinu v’al kol yisrael, v’imru amen.

TEXT IN ENGLISH (From My Jewish Learning):

Glorified and sanctified be God’s great name throughout the world
which He has created according to His will.

May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days,
and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon;
and say, Amen.

May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.

Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honoured,
adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He,
beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that
are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.

May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us
and for all Israel; and say, Amen.

He who creates peace in His celestial heights,
may He create peace for us and for all Israel;
and say, Amen.

Meditation when Kindling Yahrzeit Canlde

We turn our thoughts to yesterday, to a world that lives only in our memory.
As we recall the days gone by, we know the past is irretrievable.

Yet, through the gift of memory, we capture treasured moments and images. We are thankful
for the happiness we knew with those no longer here, with whom we lived and laughed and
loved.

We praise the Eternal wellspring of life that links yesterday to tomorrow. We affirm that despite
all the tragedy bound up in living, it is still good to be alive.

All-merciful and compassionate God, in whose hands are the souls of the living and the spirits
of all flesh, as we light this candle for  (insert name) who by Your all-wise decree has been
removed from our family circle. We thank You for all that was true and good in that now
completed life, and for all that was sweet and inspiring in the character now entrusted into
memory.

May these moments, consecrated to the memory of our loved one, bring their message of
consolation to us. May Your all-embracing love comfort and sustain us, that walking in the
valley of the shadow of death we may see Your light. As we light this candle in memory of our
loved one, we recognize that it is a symbol of our enduring reverence and affection.

Help us, O God, to do honour to the memory of our beloved by our actions and our aspirations.
May the memories which remain lead us to love You with all our hearts. Then indeed the name
 (insert name)  continue to be a blessing.

God, full of compassion, You who dwell on high! Grant perfect rest unto the soul of  (insert name)
who has departed from this world. Lord of mercy, bring that unique soul into Your presence and
let it be bound up in the bond of eternal life. May You be   (insert name)’s legacy, and may it rest in peace.

Amen

May the soul of (insert name) be bound up in the bond of eternal life.