Jewish ObituaryWarm and honest
Write the way you would speak about them to a friend. Real detail is more moving than formal praise.
Interactive tool
Obituary helper
Writing about someone you love is hard to begin. Answer a few gentle prompts and this helper will assemble a clean, dignified draft you can edit, copy, or carry straight into a memorial page.
The method
How to write a meaningful Jewish obituary
Begin with the announcement
Open with their full name, their Hebrew name if you have it, where they lived, when they died, and their age. This is the heart of the obituary and what most readers are searching for.
Tell the story of their life
Where they were born and grew up, their work and calling, the community and causes they gave to, and the passions that made them who they were. Specific, true details matter more than grand words.
Name the family
List who they are survived by and who predeceased them. In Jewish tradition, remembering the generations is itself an honor.
Share the service and shiva details
Give the funeral date, time, and location, and where and when the family will sit shiva, so the community knows how to be present.
Offer a way to honor them
Jewish custom favors tzedakah over flowers. Naming a cause or charity gives friends a meaningful way to remember them.
Read it aloud and refine
Read the draft aloud. Trim clichés, keep the details that are truly theirs, and let the tone stay warm and honest. Then copy it or carry it into a memorial page.
Your draft will appear here
Fill in as much or as little as you like, then preview a clean draft you can edit, copy, or carry straight into a memorial page.
Voice
Finding the right tone
Specific, not generic
The Shabbat table they kept, the students they taught, the melody they hummed. Specifics are what readers remember.
Reverent, never rushed
There is no need to say everything. A few true things, said with care, honor a life more than a long list.
When you are ready
Turn your draft into a lasting memorial
When your draft feels right, carry it into a memorial page with a candle and a guestbook, where family and friends can gather to remember and share their own memories.