Yizkor

Although Yizkor is traditionally done with the community in synagogue following the Torah reading in the presence of a minyan, there may be situations where individuals may want to have a memorial service on their own. Feel free to mix and match from the options below with the prayers above to create an experience that feels meaningful to you and resonates with the spirit of your loved one. 

While there is no blessing to recite while lighting the memorial candle, it is appropriate to think about the memory of the loved one/s you mourn as you light the candle. You may wish to place a photograph of anyone you are remembering next to the candle.

יִזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים נִשְׁמַת (זְקֵנַי וּזְקֵנוֹתַי, דּוֹדַי וְדוֹדוֹתַי, אָחַי וְאַחְיוֹתַי, בָּנַי וּבְנוֹתַי, בַּעֲלִי, אִשְׁתִּי) (שם הנפטר בן שם אביו) שֶׁהָלַךְ לְעוֹלָמוֹ, בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁאֶתֵּן בְּלִי נֶדֶר צְדָקָה בַּעֲדוֹ. בִּשְׂכַר זֶה תְּהֵא נַפְשׁוֹ צְרוּרָה בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים עִם נִשְׁמַת אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב, שָׂרָה רִבְקָה רָחֵל וְלֵאָה, וְעִם שְׁאָר צַדִּיקִים וְצִדְקָנִיּוֹת שֶׁבְּגַן עֵדֶן. וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן.

Yizkor elohim nishmat (zikenai u'zikenotai, dodai v'dodotai, achai v'achyotai, banai u'vnotai, ba'ali, ishtee,) (name of the deceased, child name of the parent/s), she'halach l'olamo, ba'avur she'aten bli neder tzedakah b'ado. Bis-char zeh t'heh nafsho tzrurah b'tzrur hachayim im nishmat Avraham, Yitzchak, v'Yaakov, Sarah, Rivka, Rachel v'Leah, v'im she-ar tzadikim v'tzidkaniyot sheb'gan eden. V'nomar amen.

Remember, God, the soul of ( my grandparents, my uncles and aunts, my siblings, my husband, my wife, my partner, another close relative ) ( the name of the departed, child of the name of their parent ), who went to his/her/their world, because I will - without making a vow - give charity for her/him/them. In recompense for this, let his/her/their soul be bound with the Binding of life (God), with the soul of Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya'akov, Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel and Leah, and with the other righteous ancestors in the Garden of Eden. And let us say, Amen.

Source: Adapted from Sefaria Community Translation

Remember, God, the soul of my parent, my teacher ( the name of the parent, child of the name of their parents ), who went to their world, because I will - without making a vow - give charity for them. In recompense for this, let their soul be bound with the Binding of life (God), with the soul of Avraham, Yitzchak and Ya'akov, Sarah, Rivkah, Rachel and Leah, and with the other righteous ancestors in the Garden of Eden. And let us say, Amen.

Source: Adapted from Sefaria Community Translation

Clip source: The Shomer Colletive

אֵל מָלֵא רַחֲמִים, שׁוֹכֵן בַּמְּרוֹמִים, הַמְצֵא מְנוּחָה נְכוֹנָה עַל כַּנְפֵי הַשְּׁכִינָה, בְּמַעֲלַת קְדוֹשִׁים וּטְהוֹרִים כְּזֹהַר הָרָקִיעַ מַזְהִירִים, אֶת נִשְׁמַת (שם הנפטר בן שם אביו) שֶׁהָלַךְ לְעוֹלָמוֹ, בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁבְּלִי נֶדֶר אֶתֵּן צְדָקָה בְּעַד הַזְכַּרַת נִשְׁמָתוֹ, בְּגַן עֵדֶן תְּהֵא מְנוּחָתוֹ, לָכֵן בַּעַל הָרַחֲמִים יַסְתִּירֵהוּ בְּסֵתֶר כְּנָפָיו לְעוֹלָמִים, וְיִצְרוֹר בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים אֶת נִשְׁמָתוֹ, יְיָ הוּא נַחֲלָתוֹ, וְיָנוּחַ עַל מִשְׁכָּבוֹ בְּשָׁלוֹם. וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן.

El Maleh Rachamim, shocheyn bam’romim, ham-tzay m’nucha n’chona al kanfei Hash’china, b’ma-alot kedoshim utehorim k’zo-har haraki-a mazhirim, et nishmat (Name of the Deceased) she-halcha l-olomoh, ba-avur shenodvu tzedakah b’ad hazkarat nishmatah. B’Gan Ayden t’hay menuchatah; la-chayn Ba-al Harachamim yas-tire-ha besayter k'nafav l’olamim, v’yitz-ror bitz-ror hacha-yim et nishmatah, Ado-nay Hu na-chalatah, v’tanu-ach b’shalom al mishkavah. V’nomar: Amen. 

God, full of compassion, dwelling as uplift and within, grant perfect rest under Your sheltering Presence, among the holy and pure who shine with heavenly splendor, to the soul of our dear one who has gone to his/her/their reward. May the Garden of Eternity be his/her/their rest.  Please, Power of Compassion, shade him/her/them in the shadow of Your wing forever.  May his/her/their soul be bound in the bonds of eternal life.  May Adonai be his/her/their inheritance, and may he/she/they rest in peace.  And let us say, Amen.

Source: Adapted from Sefaria Community Translation by Rabbi Melanie Levav

Clip source: The Shomer Collective

Deep appreciation to Shomer Collective for their partnership on all of Recustom’s end of life rituals. We are grateful to Rabbi Nina Mizrahi, Devon Spiers and Dina Stander for their contributions and to Sefaria for the use of their site. We are grateful to Bayit and Rabbi Rachel Barenblat for making their Beside Still Waters prayers and readings available to the Recustom community. And we thank ReformJudaism.org, Lab/Shul and the many individuals named in this booklet who shared their creativity and their writings, including those originally published in Laments & Kavannot for The Journey, produced for Kavod V’Nichum’s annual North America Chevra Kadisha Conference.  Each piece has been shared with the author’s permission.  

Remember.

Remember the blessings of those who no longer walk this earth.

Remember each name, each life-story.

Remember on behalf of those whose memory fails.

Remember with love the sweet and the bittersweet.

Remember with forgiveness the hurt and misunderstanding.

Remember with insight so you might experience deeper meaning.

Remember through the pain until you can touch the joy and find comfort.

Remember through dreams left unfulfilled and choose one to fulfill.

Remember through your heart.

Remember through your actions.

Remember through living with kindness, generosity and forgiveness.

Remember by planting memories and helping them take root in the living.

Remember by opening your heart even if you thought it was closed forever.

Remember to live your own life as a blessing.

Remember to do all this.

Remember and you will be remembered.

Remember.

-by Rabbi Nina Mizrahi

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Originally published by The Open Siddur Project

Clip source: The Shomer Collective