We are coming to the end of the April 2018 A to Z Blog Challenge .
I’ve been having a fun time exploring memory. For today, I want to look at how we integrate memory into cultural ceremony. Yahrzeit is a yiddish term for an anniversary we observe on the day of a person’s death. Year-mind is just a 15th century word that was used to refer to any anniversary or memorial.
The idea that we regularly mark a day of emotional importance–be it grief or joy–reminds us how much we have built the need to remember:
Into Our Personal Relationships
and into the structure of our societies.
Memory as art, as celebration, as a common narrative is very much what makes us human and what makes human society.
This is a beautiful concept. Many people naturally do this as a part of ongoing grieving. It’s nice to have a name for it.
Facing Cancer with Grace
The term “Jahrzeit” (with a J, though) exists in the German language as well as the Roman Catholic church.
After that year, I understand the bereaved family members have to pay money for the priest to mention the name of the person they lost.
So the service will focus on families observing a Jahrzeit, and at the end (sorry, but it feels much like a commercial) they proceed to read the list of all the other people whose sponsors wanted to include a mention of them.
Congratulations on completing A-Z!
https://thethreegerbers.blogspot.ch/2018/04/y-is-for-yellowstone.html