In honor of Ginsburg, let’s fight to actively uphold her memory - and her legacy.Where to put a candle for peace. Therefore, in light of RBG’s death, many found this honorific especially apt. For memory to mean anything, it must be active. So, as Stomel writes, “now is not the time for silent reflection and unobtrusive mourning that stops short of implementing any fundamental change. Neither of these Torah commandments can be fulfilled by quiet contemplation memorialization must manifest through specific action.” That specific action can be things like protesting or passing laws - anything that creates lasting change. We are commanded to remember the Amelikites’ brutal massacre of our people - ‘zachor et asher asah lecha Amalek ‘ (‘remember what Amalek did to you’) - through intentional, public, verbal affirmation and by ridding the world of the evil that they represent. Our sages teach that the way we fulfill the Torah’s commandment to remember the Sabbath - ‘zachor et Yom HaShabbat le’kodsho’ (‘remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy’) - is by active declaration in the performance of the kiddush, the Shabbat blessing over wine. In that same Kveller piece, Stomel continues, “In the context of Jewish law, remembrance is not a reflexive, passive process directed inward. In light of the Black Lives Matter movement and the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, many have repurposed this commemoration for victims of domestic violence to commemorate victims of racial violence. So, Stomel offers an alternative: “Ye hi zichra mahapecha” - “May her memory be a revolution.” Their memorial calls for identifying and confronting the deep-seated conditions that gave rise to their murders, deliberately dismantling them, and then generating active justice in their stead.” There is nothing blessed about the way these lives were ripped away from us. As Rachel Stomel wrote in Kveller, “In the context of domestic violence, the customary words ring incongruous and out of place. This phrase is relatively new it began in Israel sometime in 2019 to commemorate victims of domestic violence. The last one is the most popular in English - for Jews, many say “may her memory be a blessing” after someone dies.ĭesign by Emily Burack What about “May her memory be a revolution”? When it’s used: Usually appears in parentheses after the name of a person who is deceased. What it means: Hebrew literally for “memories for blessing,” usually translated to “may his or her memory be a blessing.” Pronounced: zahl, or zee-chroh-NOH luh-brah-KHAH or zee-chroh-NAH luh-brah-KHAH (Yes, BDE means something very different to the non-Jewish internet.) Z’’L When it’s used: Commonly said to a mourner upon learning of their loss. What it means: Hebrew for “blessed is the true judge.” Stands for: baruch dayan emet (ברוך דיין אמת) When it’s used: Following the name of someone who is dead. What it means: Hebrew for “peace be upon him.” Alternately “upon her” or “upon them.” Pronounced: ah-LAHV hah-shah-LOHM, ah-lay-HAH hah-shah-LOHM When you see a name followed by any of these acronyms, the implication is that the person mentioned is not alive. There are a few other acronyms and phrases used for mourning. Often, when someone dies, the traditional Jewish response is “yehi zichra baruch,” which translates to “may her memory be a blessing” or “may her memory be for a blessing.” What do Jewish people say when someone dies?
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