Mourning & Bereavement

Traditional Jewish mourning and bereavement practices are designed to help us bear our grief. But sometimes we need something more: a poem that captures our imagination, a creative ritual that addresses the particularity of our grief, a song that speaks to our heart. May you find a measure of comfort in your time of need.

Latest Rituals

Remembering My Beloveds

“I remember my beloveds daily”

family, love, mourning

Open journal with handwritten text, a purple floral stem, and a vintage black-and-white photo on a white surface.

Souls Have a Way of Living On

“Souls have a way of living on / Inside of us”

ancestors, heart, light, love, mourning

Silhouette of a person facing the sun with closed eyes, in a serene outdoor setting with a warm, glowing sky.

Yahrzeit for My Father

“I found a pair of dress shoes I had long forgotten / caked with mud / hidden away in the back of my closet”

family, mourning, yahrzeit

Brown leather dress shoes on a wooden floor.

El Malei Rakhamim for Victims of Traffic Violence

“Our roads and streets remain far too dangerous for walkers, bikers and drivers alike.”

grief, memorial candle lighting, trauma, violence

Yellow flowers scattered on a sloped sidewalk beside a stone wall, with more flowers in the background.

With the Earth: A Mourning Ritual

Earth-based mourning ritual with poem and chant

earth, grief, interfaith, mourning, tragedy

Hands holding a pile of soil, with a blurred background.

Parent’s Blessing for the Loss of their Child

“Forever I am bound with you, my child”

grief, loss of a child

A hand holding an open book with Hebrew text, blurred background.

Psalm of Release

“I hear echoes of my beloveds”

Person in a hoodie looking out at a calm, overcast seascape from a sandy beach.

For Those We Remember with Love: Seven Blessings of Memory and Hope

“May you know that you are always remembered for the good you have done”

grief, mourning, yizkor

Sunset over a misty landscape with trees and a grassy hill, under a partly cloudy sky.

Yizkor Kavannah

“Source of All Life: Welcome home those we’ve lost”

grief, mourning, yizkor

A lone tree stands in a vibrant green field under a dramatic sky with rays of sunlight and dark clouds.

From Miscarriage to Mikveh

“Help me love you in faith, not grief”

loss of a child, mikveh

Silhouetted woman covers her face with hands against a dramatic, cloudy sky in black and white.