When is the azkara, and how to find the date

The yahrzeit follows the Hebrew date

The yearly azkara, also called the yahrzeit, falls on the Hebrew date of the day of passing. The Hebrew and the regular calendars do not line up, so each year the yahrzeit falls on a different date in the regular calendar, sometimes weeks apart. You cannot simply mark it in your calendar by last year's date.

The simplest way to find the date is the yahrzeit calculator on our site: enter the date of passing and see the Hebrew date and the azkara dates for the coming years.

A passing after sunset

In the Hebrew calendar the day begins at sunset, not at midnight. So a passing between sunset and midnight belongs to the Hebrew date of the following day. When you look for the date, it matters whether the passing was before sunset or after it. If the time is not known for certain, check it with the family before you look up the date.

The end of the shiva and the shloshim

The shiva and the shloshim are counted from the day of the funeral, not from the day of passing, with the day of the funeral as day one. The shiva ends on the morning of the seventh day, and the shloshim on the morning of the thirtieth day.

Many families gather at the end of the shloshim for an azkara: a visit to the grave, and then a meal together.

A holiday that falls during the mourning period can shorten the shiva or the shloshim, and there are detailed rules for this. In that case, ask the family's rabbi.

Where customs differ

Some questions have no single answer, and each family follows its own tradition:

• The first yahrzeit: when the funeral took place several days after the passing, some mark the first yahrzeit by the day of burial rather than the day of passing.
• A passing in Adar: a leap year has two months of Adar, and customs differ on which one the yahrzeit is kept in.
• A yahrzeit on Shabbat or a holiday: many families hold the gathering and the meal on a nearby day. Here too, customs differ.

For all of these, ask the family's rabbi. This guide gives general background only, not a halachic ruling.

Planning the meal around the date

Check the date a few weeks ahead, so there is time to let relatives know and to decide where to meet: at home, at the synagogue or in a hall.

Once the date is known, you can order ahead: build a menu, and choose a delivery date and time on the order page. The dates for the coming years are in the yahrzeit calculator. You can also order for the same day: the delivery arrives within 3 hours of ordering, on business days and hours.

We are closed on Shabbat and holidays, and on Fridays and holiday eves the delivery arrives before Shabbat or the holiday begins.

What is usually served is covered in our guide on what to serve at an azkara. For ordering and delivery, see our page on azkara catering. Ready to choose dishes? Build an azkara menu.