Yahrtzeits

The yahrzeit, or anniversary of a loved one's passing, is a time to remember the person, in the synagogue by reciting the kaddish prayer, through the giving of extra charity and through learning. Determine the date of your loved one's passing for this year or any other.

As an example:My mother's yahrtzeit (anniversary of death) falls on the 23rd of this month. This year the date falls on Shabbat. How do I go about lighting the yahrtzeit candle?

The Jewish calendar day begins at sunset of the night beforehand, hence you would light the yahrtzeit candle on the evening before, and let it burn for the subsequent 25 hours. When a yahrtzeit coincides with Shabbat you light the yahrtzeit candle on Friday afternoon before lighting the Shabbat candles.

Click here to calculate a Yahrzeit date.