When Is Yizkor Said? The Four Annual Memorial Services Explained

The Four Yizkor Dates

Yizkor — the communal memorial prayer for the dead — is recited in synagogue exactly four times a year:

1. Yom Kippur — during the Yom Kippur service
2. Shemini Atzeret — the eighth day of Sukkot, a holiday in its own right
3. The last day of Passover (eighth day in the diaspora, seventh day in Israel)
4. The second day of Shavuot (in the diaspora; the first and only day in Israel)

These dates shift on the secular calendar each year because they follow the Hebrew calendar. Most synagogues publish Yizkor dates in their annual calendar and in weekly announcements leading up to each holiday.

What Happens During the Service

Yizkor is a brief, emotionally intense section inserted into the holiday service. The core structure:

• The congregation recites the Yizkor prayer silently, inserting the Hebrew name of each deceased loved one they're remembering. Separate versions exist for a father, mother, spouse, sibling, or child — you choose the one that applies.
• A pledge of tzedakah (charitable giving) is traditionally made in the deceased's memory. Many synagogues provide pledge cards.
• The cantor or rabbi then chants the communal El Maleh Rachamim (God, Full of Mercy), a haunting memorial prayer that asks for the peaceful rest of all departed souls.
• Some congregations include the Mourner's Kaddish after Yizkor, according to local practice.

The Yizkor section is brief.

Who Should Be Present

There's a widespread custom that people whose parents are both still alive leave the sanctuary during Yizkor. This isn't a legal requirement — it's a superstition-rooted custom that has taken on the force of tradition in many congregations. If you feel strongly about staying, you're not violating any law.

People who have lost a parent, spouse, sibling, or child commonly attend. In practice, the synagogue fills with people during Yizkor who may not attend services at any other time of year, particularly on Yom Kippur. It's one of the most universally observed Jewish practices.

Yizkor in the First Year of Mourning

A common question: do you recite Yizkor during the first year after a loss? Customs vary, and this is a point where your rabbi's guidance matters. The widespread Ashkenazi custom is that mourners do not recite Yizkor during the first year — they begin at the first holiday occurrence after the first yahrzeit. Other communities include first-year mourners. Conservative synagogues split on this, so ask your congregation.

During the first year, mourners are already reciting Kaddish daily, which serves as the primary memorial obligation. Yizkor becomes the long-term practice that continues indefinitely after the daily Kaddish period ends.

Yizkor at Home (When You Can't Get to Synagogue)

Yizkor is traditionally recited in a congregational setting, but there are times when attendance isn't possible — illness, distance, or other constraints. At home, you can still read the Yizkor prayers from a siddur (prayer book) or a printed sheet. The full communal element is missing without a minyan, but the personal act of remembrance and the tzedakah pledge are still meaningful.

Some Conservative synagogues offer livestreamed or Zoom-accessible Yizkor services, particularly since the pandemic expanded virtual access to services.

Preparing for Yizkor

A few practical things to have ready:

• The Hebrew names of those you're remembering (the deceased's name and their parents' names, in the format "[Name] ben/bat [Father's name]" or "[Name] ben/bat [Father's name] v'[Mother's name]"). Your synagogue or rabbi can help you confirm these.
• A yahrzeit candle — many people light one at home before leaving for the Yizkor service, though this isn't strictly required for Yizkor (it is customary for yahrzeit).
• A tzedakah commitment — even a small amount is traditional.

Yizkor is one of those practices that becomes more meaningful over time. The first one can feel raw. The tenth starts to feel like a conversation you look forward to having.

For a comprehensive guide to every mourning practice from the first day through the annual cycle, our Conservative Jewish mourning guide covers Yizkor, yahrzeit, shiva, and everything in between.