Coping With the Death of a Child
Comfort for grieving parents
This year is my son's 6th yahrzeit. I can't believe so many years have gone by. I remember the day he passed; seems like yesterday. It's winter now, and the cemetery grounds are covered under a blanket of pristine, white snow. Winter has a way of muting sharp edges—of trees, of stones, of grief. And... Continue Reading →
For the first few years after my son Jacob passed away, it was difficult for me to look at his picture or touch the few things he left behind. The wallet, the souvenirs from school trips, school yearbooks, the knick-knacks from his vacations, the Mother's Day and birthday gifts he gave me. All this was... Continue Reading →
Yahrzeit, a Yiddish term meaning 'year time', is a significant observance in Judaism that commemorates the anniversary of a loved one's passing. This occasion provides an opportunity to reflect and remember the life of those we have lost. Yahrzeit milestones are key anniversaries that mark a special window of time from the first date of... Continue Reading →
My son’s yahrzeit is coming up again. Yes, again. It comes around every year. It’s hard to believe that it will be four years since he passed away. Our family lost a wonderful son, brother, and uncle. In honor of his yahrzeit, I want to share some thoughts about him. When I lost my adult child,... Continue Reading →
Which Yahrzeit Should I Observe? The anniversary of a person’s passing on the Jewish calendar is called a yahrzeit. In Yiddish, yahrzeit means ‘year time’, and is the time once a year when Jewish people acknowledge their loved ones by lighting a candle, saying Kaddish in synagogue, performing mitzvot, and studying Torah. A yahrzeit is... Continue Reading →
My Son Has Died - How Should I Celebrate His Birthday? When someone has passed away, I usually think about acknowledging their yahrzeit, the date of the person’s passing. Knowing what to do on a yarhzeit is pretty straightforward for me - I’ll light a candle, give tzedakah, etc. For how we acknowledged Jacob’s first... Continue Reading →
The Meaning of a Year Gone By Without Jacob Does time go by faster or slower for a grieving parent? The yahrzeit comes around every year, no matter what. My son, Jacob, just had his first yahrzeit. This was the day I’d been dreading. Thankfully, it wasn’t the miserable crying fest I thought it would... Continue Reading →
Coping With the Death of a Child 