Yizkor

Hazkarat Neshamot (Hebrew: הַזְכָּרַת נְשָׁמוֹת, lit. 'recalling of the souls'), commonly known by its opening word Yizkor (Hebrew: יִזְכּוֹר, lit. 'may [God] remember'), is an Ashkenazi Jewish memorial prayer service for the dead. It is an important occasion for many Jews, even those who do not attend synagogue regularly. In most Ashkenazi communities, it is held after the Torah reading four times a year: on Yom Kippur, on the final day of Passover, on the second day of Shavuot, and on Shemini Atzeret.

Following the wording of the Jewish memorial prayer Yizkor, which is traditionally recited for an individual who has died, special versions were composed for collective commemoration.

  • At memorial ceremonies for Israel's fallen soldiers, particularly those held on Memorial Day for the Fallen of Israel's Wars, a special version of Yizkor is recited. The special wording of Yizkor for the fallen was first written by Berl Katznelson after the Battle of Tel Hai in 1920. During the War of Independence, a text in this spirit was composed in memory of those who fell in that war, and it was later amended to refer to all who fell in Israel's wars.
  • The Yizkor prayer is recited on Holocaust Remembrance Day, in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

In Sephardic custom there is no Yizkor prayer, but the hashkavot serve a similar role in the service.


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