yahrzeit (redirected from Jahrzeit)

yahrzeit

 or jahrzeit

In Judaism, the anniversary of the death of a parent or close relative, commonly observed by burning a candle for an entire day. On that day, the Kaddish is recited in the synagogue, and the Torah is read. Some mark the anniversary by studying portions of the Mishna, choosing those sections from the sixth division that begin with letters from the name of the deceased. Yahrzeit developed from an early Jewish custom of fasting on the anniversaries of deaths of certain leaders, and some Jews still fast on yahrzeit.