Mom's Yahrzeit

Today is my mother's yahrzeit (anniversary of her death).  We calculate the date using the Jewish calendar, so it actually began last night at sunset.  Each year on the anniversary of her death, we gather a minyan so we can say the mourners' kaddish for her.  It's a way to honor and celebrate her life, and it elevates her soul to be remembered and honored.

This year's minyan for mom...

Many of these young men were with us the night that she died and were part of the minyan before her body was taken away.  There are a couple of new faces who have joined us over the past two years.  The nice thing about gathering a minyan last night, was that even after we had finished, a steady stream of young Jewish men kept showing up to make sure that we had had enough to say kaddish.

You may notice that this minyan is all male.  I know this is going to earn me flak from my Reform friends.  (A minyan is 10 adult male Jews; however, Reform Jews count women towards a minyan as well.)  I'm okay with the all male thing.  When I need their support, these guys have always been there for me.  They should be aware that I depend on them, not only for physical support, but for spiritual support as well.

Here they are trying to emulate that one painting of a bunch of Jewish guys.  DaVinci it's not, but at least they have a big arms guy.