Podcasts about yizkor

On Yom Kippur, we lovingly honor our parents' memories during Yizkor—so why does the climax of the confession force us to stand up and blame them for our sins? On Yom Kippur, we strike our own chests—but confess the sins of people who are no longer alive. אֲבָל אֲנַחְנוּ וַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ חָטָאנוּ "But we and our parents have sinned." Why bring our mothers and fathers into our confession? Are we blaming them, asking forgiveness on their behalf—or admitting that their unfinished business lives on in us? In this episode of Madlik Disruptive Torah, Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz explore one of the most provocative lines in the Selichot and Yom Kippur liturgy. Far from being a passing phrase, it is a climax of the confession: when the prayer leader reaches "But we have sinned," everyone must stand—bowed and without leaning for support. The wording itself is disputed. Some traditions say simply, "But we have sinned." Others insist upon, "But we and our fathers have sinned." The Sephardic liturgy widens the circle further: "We, our fathers, and the members of our household." And the question becomes even sharper when we compare confession with Yizkor. On Yom Kippur, we lovingly recall the virtues of our parents during Yizkor—but repeatedly include their sins in our confession. Is that a violation of honoring our parents, or a more profound form of connection—one that embraces their humanity as well as their virtues? This week's Parsha, Nitzavim-Vayeilech, provides the grammar for this intergenerational "we." Moses gathers the entire people into the covenant: leaders and laborers, parents and children, "those who are standing here with us today and those who are not here with us today." The covenant reaches forward to unborn generations; confession reaches backward to those who came before us. Past, present, and future stand together in one moment. The idea is deeply biblical: "We have sinned with our ancestors" — Psalms "Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers" — Daniel "We and our ancestors have sinned" — Jeremiah "Our ancestors sinned and are no more, and we bear their iniquities" — Lamentations "They shall confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their ancestors" — Leviticus Judaism rejects original sin, so what exactly do we inherit? The Or HaChaim suggests that we inherit not only behavior but its rationalizations. When earlier generations appeared to prosper despite their choices, their success became evidence that those choices were acceptable. True repentance therefore requires reassessing an entire historical trajectory—not simply regretting an isolated personal act. The Chatam Sofer turns inherited memory into heightened responsibility. Our ancestors experienced history without knowing its outcome; we stand on their shoulders and can see the pattern. If we fail to learn from their experience, perhaps we should know better. Rav Shagar focuses on the word "we." What allows one person to confess with others? His answer is trust: the recognition that another person, in freedom and sincerity, shares my faith, my searching, and my struggle. He compares collective prayer to communal singing. The result is not merely many voices sounding simultaneously, but distinct voices merging into something no individual can create alone. Finally, the Bat Ayin reads avoteinu—"our fathers"—as an allusion to the alef-bet, the building blocks of language. The alphabetic confession repairs our damaged letters; and because language shapes thought, it may also repair the way we think. Perhaps saying "we and our parents have sinned" is not about condemning the past. It is about recognizing the inherited patterns, assumptions, wounds, and possibilities that continue to live within us—and finding the solidarity to repair them together. So here's our question: When you say, "But we—all of us, including our mothers and fathers—have sinned," do you think about your parents differently than you do during Yizkor? How does acknowledging their imperfections change the way you feel about them—and about yourself as their child? Join us for Forgive Me, for We Have Sinned. Key Takeaways The Past Lives Within Us - We do not inherit our ancestors' guilt simply because we are their descendants. But we do inherit their patterns, assumptions, wounds, and unfinished business. Confessing that "we and our parents have sinned" asks us to recognize where their choices continue to shape our own." Inherited Memory Creates Responsibility - Knowing our ancestors' story should help us see what they could not. We stand on their shoulders, with the benefit of their experience and its consequences. The past therefore offers more than an excuse for our failures; it imposes a responsibility to learn, interrupt destructive patterns, and choose differently." No One Repents Alone - The word "we" transforms confession from a private admission into an act of trust and solidarity. Like voices merging in communal song, individuals remain distinct while creating something larger together. By confessing collectively, we find the language—and the strength—to confront ourselves personally." Timestamps [00:00] Why Confess Ancestors [02:19] Selichot Climax Explained [03:53] Honouring Parents Questioned [06:57] Standing for Viddui [08:47] Different Nusach Traditions [13:16] Nitzavim Covenant Across Time [16:07] Sponsor Break [17:13] Biblical Roots of "We Sinned" [19:56] Do We Inherit Guilt? [21:53] Ohr HaChaim on Patterns [24:30] Nehemiah Public Confession [26:12] Rav Shagar on Saying "We" [30:04] Hasidic Aleph Bet Reading [31:35] Takeaways and New Year [33:02] Closing Question to Viewers Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ Sefaria Source Sheet: https://voices.sefaria.org/sheets/745725 Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/  

In this edition, Rabbi Dobrusin shares a sermon he delivered before the Yizkor, Memorial Service, in 2007. It is not as much a sermon about remembering those whom we have lost as it is about another aspect of our lives. It is also notable in that it is based on a remarkable movie- a comedy, no less. 

Rabbi Dobrusin shares a sermon that he delivered for the Yizkor (memorial) service on Yom Kippur several years ago. 

Rabbi Rebecca Schatz's Shabbat/Yizkor Sermon at Temple Beth Am, Los Angeles, May 23, 2026. (Youtube)

An introduction to the Yizkor service

Pesach Yizkor 2026: New Eyes, Old Hearts by Rabbi Aaron Flanzraich

Rabbi Rebecca Schatz's Yizkor Sermon at Temple Beth Am, Los Angeles, on April 9, 2026. (Youtube)

Opening song - "Let There Be Love" by Noah Aronson; performed by Temple Israel Cantorial Soloist Happie Hoffman Find sermons, music, conversations between clergy and special guests, and select Temple Israel University (TIU) classes – easily accessible to you through our podcast, Torah to the People. Learn more about Temple Israel-Memphis at timemphis.org.

Author Jane Ziegelman joined "The Shmooze "to talk about her latest book, "Once There Was a Town." In conversation Jane talks about Yizkor (memorial) books and how she discovered the story of her family's ancestral shtetl between the pages of the Luboml Yizkor book. Episode 404 February 12, 2026 Amherst, MA

For the second year in a row, Rabbis for Ceasefire held a Yizkor service on the streets of Brooklyn, using the traditional Yom Kippur memorial service as a means to mourn the dead in Gaza, to atone for American and Jewish communal participation in the genocide, and to refuse further complicity. After the Yizkor service—attended by 1,500 people and watched online by ten times that number—rabbis and others blocked the Brooklyn Bridge while performing the Ne'ilah service that closes the holy day; dozens were arrested. In this episode, Jewish Currents editor-in-chief Arielle Angel speaks with Rabbis for Ceasefire organizers Alissa Wise and Elliot Kukla about their experience planning and carrying out this ritual action, and what it revealed about the nature of the tradition itself. They also discuss the power of collective grief, and the difference and interrelation between Palestine solidarity work and the work of building a Judaism beyond Zionism. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Rabbi Arthur Waskow. Thanks to Jesse Brenneman for producing and to Nathan Salsburg for the use of his song “VIII (All That Were Calculated Have Passed).”Articles Mentioned and Further ReadingRabbis for Ceasefire Yizkor service on Instagram“Jewish activist and leader Rabbi Arthur Waskow dies at 92,” Deena Prichep, NPR“‘Chronic traumatic stress disorder': the Palestinian psychiatrist challenging western definitions of trauma,” Bethan McKernan, The Guardian“Can the Palestinian Mourn?,” Abdeljawad Omar, Rusted Radishes“‘They Destroyed What Was Inside Us': Children with Disabilities Amid Israel's Attacks on Gaza,” Human Rights Watch Report“The Right to Grieve,” Erik Baker, Jewish Currents“Synagogue Struggles,” On the Nose“We Need New Jewish institutions,” Arielle Angel, Jewish CurrentsTranscript forthcoming.

Shemini Atzeret Yizkor 2025: The Remembered, The Studied and The Missed by Rabbi Aaron Flanzraich

Rabbi-Cantor Hillary Chorny's Yizkor Sermon on Shemini Atzeret at Temple Beth Am, Los Angeles, October 14, 2025.

Sermon by Rabbi Hilly Haber, "Crowns of Love | Yom Kippur Yizkor 5786" October 2, 2025

Sermon by Rabbinic Intern Brooklyn Michalowiz "B'shem Omro: Bridging Worlds Through Memory | Yom Kippur Yizkor 5786" October 2, 2025

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Sermon by Cantor Dan Mutlu, "Bound Together | Yom Kippur Yizkor 5786" October 2, 2025

What is the gift of Yizkor? Rabbi Cosgrove teaches that as we recall those who are no longer with us, we can pledge to create a memorial for them by the way we live. By taking full advantage of each day, we guarantee that we will enjoy length of days.

This Drasha was given at the Ohr HaTorah Congregation of Phoenix, Arizona on Yom Kippur. We discuss the greatness of the Jewish people and their continuity.

It's been five years since Mitch Consky, now The CJN's Local Journalism Initiative campus reporter, watched his father be diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and, within a few months, pass away at the age of 67. It happened in 2020, right at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, when health care access became nearly impossible. In the spring of that year, Consky, then 25, decided to move back into his parents' home in Toronto to serve as his father Harvey Consky's main caregiver. At the time, Consky channelled his skills as a journalist to document the period. Before his father's death in June 2020, the Globe and Mail _published an essay by Consky called “The Top of The Stairs”. Next came a book, _Home Safe. But Consky wasn't done paying tribute to his late father, and doing what he calls “returning the favour” to a parent to whom he owed so much. So he and some friends from university cobbled together a budget to turn the original essay into a 15-minute short film. Last month, his film aired on CBC TV, and it has since debuted on the free streaming service CBC Gem, after doing the rounds at film festivals. Ahead of Yom Kippur and the Yizkor memorial service, Consky joins Ellin Bessner on this episode of The CJN's North Star to explain why he hopes his autobiographical film will resonate with anyone who has watched a loved one die. Related links Learn more about Mitchell Consky's film “The Top of the Stairs” on CBC Gem (create free account to watch). Hear Mitch discuss his debut book “Home Safe”, published in 2022, on The CJN Daily. Buy the book. Credits Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) Production team: Zachary Kauffman (senior producer), Andrea Varsany (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer) Music: Bret Higgins Support our show Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to North Star (Not sure how? Click here)

התוכן ישנם יהודים אשר מבלי הבט על מעמדם ומצבם במשך כל השנה, באים הם (במיוחד) ביוהכ"פ לביהכנ"ס לערוך "הזכרות נשמות" עבור הוריהם וכיו"ב. היינו, שנשמותיהם של הוריהם אשר בעולם האמת פועלים עליהם להתעורר ולבוא לביהכנ"ס ולהתפלל עם עוד רבים מישראל, וכבר משך זמן לפני יוהכ"פ דואגים "לקנות" מקום בביהכנ"ס וכו'. ובאמת, נפעלת התעוררות מיוחדת זו שע"י "הזכרת נשמות" אצל כאו"א – גם אצל אלו שבאים לביהכנ"ס במשך כל השנה, וגם אצל אלו שיוצאים מביהכנ"ס בעת "הזכרת נשמות" – מצד הידיעה שבשעה זו מתאחדים עם כל הנשמות שבעולם האמת שנמצאים בשעה זו בביהכנ"ס... ועפ"ז מובן גודל העילוי באחדותם של ישראל, "כולנו כאחד", על ידי וביחד עם הנשמות שבעולם האמת – שהאחדות היא עם כל נש"י שבמשך כל הדורות! ומזה מובן גודל העילוי של ה"הן א-ל כביר לא ימאס" בנוגע לציבור כזה!ב' חלקים משיחת וא"ו תשרי ה'תשמ"ג ל"הנחה פרטית" או התרגום ללה"ק של השיחה: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=30-09-2025 Synopsis There are Jews who, regardless of their spiritual state throughout the year, come to shul (especially) on Yom Kippur to recite Yizkor for their parents etc. That is, the souls of their parents in the World of Truth influence them to awaken and come to shul to daven together with many other Jews, and for this purpose they are occupied well in advance of Yom Kippur with making sure to “purchase” their seats in shul, etc. And the truth is that this special awakening resulting from Yizkor happens for every Jew, including those who come to shul all year, and those who step out of shul during Yizkor – due to the awareness that they are now being united with all the souls in the World of Truth who are present in the shul at this moment….Based on this, we can understand the tremendous quality of this Jewish unity when we are united “all as one” through and together with all Jewish souls throughout all generations. Certainly “‘G-d is great and will not despise' the tefillah of a congregation” such as this….2 excerpts from sichah of 6 Tishrei 5743 For a transcript in English of the Sicha: https://thedailysicha.com/?date=30-09-2025

As we prepare for Yom Kippur, we speak with Joseph Gitler about his son-in-law, David Schwartz HY”D—a ben Torah, law student, and IDF reservist in Handasah Kravit (combat engineering) who fell in Khan Younis on January 8, 2024 alongside his chavrusa Yakir Hexter HY”D.Joseph shares how David wove together strong learning with real-world duty, his years in Gush Etzion, his time at Reichman University law school, his gift for connecting across communities, and what it means to mourn while still choosing life and responsibility. We also hear about ongoing projects in David's memory and the weekly Divrei Torah initiative that now reaches thousands.Links⁠To join the David Schwartz Divrei Torah chat⁠⁠To watch the video from the Azkara⁠HighlightsBen Torah in the world: David's learning (Kli Yakar chavrusas, steady seder) and his drive to serve—both in the IDF and potentially in public service.Bridging worlds: Deep ties across communities (yeshiva, Chassidus, secular campus). Seeking dialogue without blurring values.Reichman law school: Culture shock, principled debate during the judicial protests, and the value of hearing people who think differently.Army service: Training, multiple rotations in Gaza with Tzanhanim commandos; pride in the unit's work despite the dangers.January 8, 2024: The incident in Khan Younis; community and family response; what shiva looked like for parents of the almanah.National resilience: “The whole country has PTSD.” Practical takeaways: watch your friends and kids; speak up when you see someone struggling; get help involved.Living memory: A sefer of David's Torah (written in yeshiva), a growing weekly parsha sheet in Hebrew and English, shul/Beit Midrash renovations, and a loans fund for farmers and soldiers—projects that carry his light forward.

Yizkor - A Call For Action

Rabbi Kalish

My First Yizkor - Parshas Naso - [Blue Ridge Mishmar] in Naso by Rabbi Daniel Kalish

Why do we read Ruth on Shavuot, and why at Yizkor? In a world governed by law, Ruth teaches the power of hesed – unearned, enduring kindness. Rabbi Cosgrove reflects on memory, love, and the quiet acts that bind us to one another, in life and in loss.   For more Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, follow @Elliot_Cosgrove on Instagram and Facebook.   Want to stay connected with PAS? Follow us @ParkAvenueSyn on all platforms, and check out www.pasyn.org for all our virtual and in-person offerings.

R. Marcus Rubenstein's Yizkor talk and sermon on the 2nd day of Shavuot on June 3rd, 2025 at Temple of Aaron.

Rabbi Adam Kligfeld's Shavuot/Yizkor Sermon at Temple Beth Am, Los Angeles, June 3, 2025. (Youtube)

Sponsored by Sarah Jesion as a Yizkor memorial for her parents, Braijna bas Chaim Shalom ve-Chaya Raizel & Shraga Faivish ben Yirmiyahu ve-Sarah & her husband, Moishe's, ע"ה, parents, Shaindel bas Moshe Mordechai ve-Chuma & Shlomo ben Yaakov Leib ve-Sarah ע"ה.

In this Remembrance Day episode, we sit down with a son who lost his father — a soldier who fought in both the First and Second Lebanon Wars. He shares how growing up without his father shaped his journey, the ways he carries his memory forward, and how loss became a lifelong source of strength and purpose. His story is a powerful reminder that even in absence, love and legacy continue.To read more about Israel's fallen soldiers, visit the Yizkor website: https://www.izkor.gov.il/en/May their memory be a blessing.

In this emotional Remembrance Day episode, we hear from a young woman who lost the love of her life while he was serving in the IDF. She opens up about the heartbreak that forever changed her world — and the resilience that helped her find her way through it. It's a story of devastating loss, but also of strength, hope, and the unwavering memory of a life that meant everything.To read more about Israel's fallen soldiers, visit the Yizkor website: https://www.izkor.gov.il/en/May their memory be a blessing.

Rabbi-Cantor Hillary Chorny's Passover-Yizkor Sermon at Temple Beth Am, Los Angeles, April 20, 2025. (Youtube)

What happens when we lose our loved ones before we lose them? This happens to so many of our families. Our loved one experiences a slow decline, cognitively, or physically, that takes place over years that feels like forever. The decline crowds out earlier chapters.Our mother has not been herself for so long I can't even remember what she used to be like.It's been so long since my father was who he really was, I can't remember him before his dementia set in.What do we do with this pain when we lose our loved ones before we lose them?We are about to say Yizkor. Yizkor offers us a poignant way to flip the script.It is true that we sometimes lose our loved ones before we lose them. But because of Yizkor, it is also true that after we lose our loved ones, we still have them.

Passover and memory....past and present

-- Opening song - "Let There Be Love" by Noah Aronson; performed by Temple Israel Cantorial Soloist Happie Hoffman Find sermons, music, conversations between clergy and special guests, and select Temple Israel University (TIU) classes – easily accessible to you through our podcast, Torah to the People. Learn more about Temple Israel-Memphis at timemphis.org.

Rabbi Rebecca Schatz's Yizkor Sermon, at Temple Beth Am, Los Angeles, October 24, 2024. (Originally written for 10/7, given 10/24/24 on the one-year anniversary.) (Youtube)

In this holiday class we explore the origins of the Ashkenazic custom to recite Yizkor on the last day of Yom Tov.

00:00 - Singing01:54 - Good Moed03:20 - Emails07:38 - MDYsponsor.com08:12 - Guests08:30 - Questions of the Day09:52 - Amud Aleph36:29 - Amud Beis40:02 - Have a Wonderful MoedQuiz - http://Kahoot.MDYdaf.com--Today's shiur is sponsoredAnonymous - For the safe and speedy return of all the hostages&לע״נ זכריה בן משהלע״נ חיה בת יוסף&Health and strength for Rav Eli​&the Lock family Lakewood NJ, because תורה is the best סגולה​&Yosef Ben Chaya Sara for Parnassa B'revach&Reuven Schwartz: 1.Thanks for a Yom Kippur aliyah 2.Yizkor donation for Chana Leah bas Meir HaCohen--Turning of the daf:The Belsky family:In memory of Simcha Berel Dovid A"H ben Avraham Moshe&Kidnovations LLC:In honor of my Uncle Reb Elchanan Pressman and Fishel. It should be a zechus for Akiva Simcha Ben Fayga, a shidduch for רבקה יהודית בת יפה חיה and a THANK YOU to Rebbitzen Stefansky for selflessly giving up her husband for the klal. It should be a zechus for a year filled with Mazel, Bracha, hatzlacha, Parnassa B'revach and Refuah_________________________________

SERMON: Rabbi Andrew Kaplan Mandel - The Spiritual Philanthropist | Yom Kippur, Yizkor, 5785

SERMON: Rabbi Sivan Rotholz - Grieving With God | Yom Kippur, Yizkor, 5785

SERMON: Rabbi Sarah Berman - The Chance for a Second Chance | Yom Kippur, Yizkor, 5785

What happens after a fragile vessel shatters? Rabbi Cosgrove teaches that the divine light of our loved ones remains even after they are no longer present, and especially at Yizkor, we can still gather their sparks.   For more Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, follow @Elliot_Cosgrove on Instagram and Facebook.   Want to stay connected with PAS? Follow us @ParkAvenueSyn on all platforms, and check out www.pasyn.org for all our virtual and in-person offerings.  

We discuss what elements are necessary to survive the onslaught of the Yetzer Harah and the day of judgement.

On Tuesday, July 16, I and a group of rabbis traveled south from Jerusalem — to the Gaza envelope. There, we visited the places that Hamas had ravaged on Oct. 7, 2023. We visited the site of the Nova music festival, where we said kaddish for the young victims. We visited Kibbutz Nir Oz. We walked through the rubble of the burnt houses, the burnt kitchen, the places where people died, and the places where people were taken hostage. One-quarter of the residents of Nir Oz were killed or taken hostage. I have experienced many moments of pain in my Jewish life, even as I have experienced many moments of joy and exaltation. But never in my life have I encountered the memories of such sheer evil as I did at Nir Oz. I had not known at that time that I was walking in the footsteps, walking the same ground, as Alex Dancyg, of blessed memory — a proud son of Warsaw. And so it was in Warsaw on Yom Kippur that I dedicated the memorial service to his memory. Adapted from my Yizkor sermon, given on Yom Kippur, Beit Warshawa, Warsaw, Poland.

Full TorahAnytime LectureVideo or AudioMore classes from R' Eli Mansour⭐ 2,174

In this essential episode for Jewish educators, Rabba Yaffa Epstein, an Orthodox rabbi, and Rabbi Dena Klein, a Reform rabbi, discuss the challenges and opportunities of leading prayer in today's world. With the High Holidays approaching, they offer practical advice for anyone guiding services, from maintaining your own spiritual energy to engaging children who may not feel connected. They share thoughtful tips on how to handle diverse needs in a prayer space, reflections on Yizkor this year, and how to find moments of divine connection and flow. The episode wraps with a heartfelt blessing for educators, offering inspiration and strength as you lead your communities through this sacred season. This episode was produced by Dina Nusnbaum and Miranda Lapides. The show's executive producers are David Bryfman, Karen Cummins, and Nessa Liben.  This episode was engineered and edited by Nathan J. Vaughan of NJV Media.  If you enjoyed the show, please leave us a 5-star rating and review, or even better, share it with a friend. Be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and be the first to know when new episodes are released. To learn more about The Jewish Education Project visit jewishedproject.org where you can find links to our Jewish Educator Portal and learn more about our mission, history, and staff. We are a proud partner of UJA-Federation of New York. 

In this special episode, we honor 4 fallen heroes, Eli Moshe Zimbalist, Ari Fuld, Yosef Guedalia and Binyamin Airley. Episode Chapters - (00:00) Intro - (01:46) Simmy Zimbalist remembers his son, Eli Moshe Zimbalist - (25:56) Hillel Fuld remembers his brother, Ari Fuld - (44:25) Avraham Rosner remembers his friends, Yosef Guedalia and Binyamin Airley Don't miss out on exclusive bonus content, as well as special offers and initiatives. Join the Shtark Tank Quiet Whatsapp Group today, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Has Shtark Tank made even a small impact on your life? Email me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠yaakovwolff@gmail.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠with feedback, questions, comments.

Shavuot Yizkor Sermon by Rabbi Mo Salth, "The Last of the Brooklyn Dodgers"June 12, 2024

YizkorSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/ten-minute-halacha/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy