Dear Friend,
One of the many things we, as Jews, can be very proud of is the premium we place on memory. We go out of our way to revisit it, cherish it, and, above all, learn the valuable lessons it brings to our current day-to-day lives.
One of the most important traditions in which this is evident is in our recital of Yizkor, honoring the memories of our departed loved ones during the prayer services of four major festivals throughout the year: Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Pesach, and Shavuot.
In addition to asking the Almighty to ‘remember’ the souls of family members and friends who have passed, Yizkor provides us with a vital spiritual connection to them. It transforms their inspiring memory into an active source of light and blessing. For this reason, part of the Yizkor service includes a pledge to tzedakah, charity – a mitzvah done on behalf their soul, thereby merging our two "worlds".
With this in mind, we will once again be publishing a special Yizkor Booklet for the New Year. In addition to the texts of the prayers for various relationships and for the martyrs of recent Jewish history, the booklet will feature the names of the loved ones of our community members. Each name will be included for a gift of $18 (chai) to charity.
Additionally, every name listed in the booklet will be pronounced during the Yizkor and Keil Malei prayers offered in the synagogue each of the four times of the year. To participate, please fill out the form below and submit with your tzedakah in the amount of $18 for each name included.
All completed forms must be submitted no later than Tuesday, October 8th in order to guarantee inclusion in this year's Yizkor Booklet. A copy of the Yizkor booklet will be mailed to you upon request.
With blessings for a happy, healthy, and sweet New Year to you and yours.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Elly Andrusier