Yizkor Memorial Prayer

Yizkor is a special memorial prayer for the dearly departed, which is recited in the synagogue on Yom Kippur. Yizkor, in Hebrew, means “remember.” In this prayer, we implore G‑d to remember the souls of our loved ones who have passed on. When we recite Yizkor, we renew and strengthen the connection between us and our loves ones, bringing merit to the departed souls.

The recitation of Yizkor is also linked with the mitzvah of a pledge to charity (prior or following the holiday) in memory of the deceased. By giving charity, we are performing a positive physical deed on their behalf in this world, something that the departed can no longer do. The soul gains additional merit through the good deeds impacted through their memory. 

Add the names of your loved ones to this Yizkor booklet and we’ll be certain to recite their names during this special prayer: