Tonight and tomorrow mark 11 years since my father passed away. Every year, just a few days before Chanukah, I light a different type of candle. In Hebrew, the anniversary of someone’s passing is called a Yahrzeit, and in Jewish tradition, we light a 24-hour memorial candle on this day.
It is always an emotional time, but this year feels different. Humans of Judaism is a project I started in memory of my father, turning my pain into purpose. As I lit the candle tonight and placed the Humans of Judaism book beside it, I stood in the darkness of this winter night, surrounded by the warmth of a single candle—a small but powerful reminder of light in darkness—and felt immense gratitude for the opportunity to honor my father in this way, striving to shine some light for our Jewish community.
Thank you all for being part of this meaningful journey. Thinking of my father today and every day—may his memory always be a blessing.
