3 min readYahrzeit Gift Ideas: What to Give on the Anniversary of a Passing
The best yahrzeit gifts remember the person by name: a tree planted in Israel in their memory, tzedakah in their name, learning in their merit, or a yahrzeit candle with a note. A tree is $18 and its certificate is emailed within minutes, so it can arrive on the day itself.
What the yahrzeit is
The yahrzeit is the yearly anniversary of a passing, kept on the Hebrew date. The family lights a candle that burns for about a day, and many say Kaddish. A gift is not expected, which is why one that remembers the person by name means so much.
Gift ideas
- A tree in Israel in their memory. A certificate with their name and Hebrew name, emailed on the day.
- Tzedakah in their name, to a cause they cared about.
- Learning in their merit, such as a chapter of Mishnah, whose Hebrew letters also spell *neshamah*, "soul".
- A yahrzeit candle with a short handwritten note.
- A call. On a yahrzeit, saying their name aloud is a gift.
What to write
Remembering your father with you today.* · *Thinking of you on your mother's yahrzeit.* · *May her memory be a blessing.
Getting the date right
The yahrzeit follows the Hebrew calendar, so it moves on the ordinary calendar each year. Ask the family, or look it up from the Hebrew date of the passing.
See also a tree for a yahrzeit, shloshim or unveiling and the Jewish mourning timeline.
Trees are planted by our planting partner, the Jewish National Fund.
Plant a tree for a yahrzeit →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good yahrzeit gift?
Something that remembers the person by name: a tree planted in Israel in their memory, tzedakah in their name, learning in their merit, or a yahrzeit candle with a note.
Is it appropriate to give a gift on a yahrzeit?
A gift is not expected, which is why a small one that names the person is so welcome. A call or a note is just as right.
What should I write for a yahrzeit?
Something short that names them: "Remembering your father with you today" or "May her memory be a blessing".
Can a tree certificate arrive on the yahrzeit itself?
Yes. It is emailed usually within minutes of ordering, so order on the day or the day before.
Reviewed with guidance from Jewish mourning traditions across Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform practices.
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