Yahrzeit — the Hebrew anniversary of a parent's or grandparent's death — is the most important recurring obligation a Jewish family carries for an ancestor. Computing it correctly across decades requires handling the Hebrew leap year cycle, the day-vs-night Hebrew calendar boundary, and the family's specific custom. This article is the practical reference.
The basic rule. The Hebrew date of death determines the Yahrzeit forever. If a parent died on 14 Adar 5778, the Yahrzeit is 14 Adar every year — even though the corresponding civil date shifts by 11–12 days each year.
Day boundary. The Hebrew day begins at sunset, not midnight. If a parent died on Tuesday February 24, 2026 at 10:00 AM, the Hebrew date is 6 Adar 5786. If they died at 9:00 PM (after sunset) the same evening, the Hebrew date is 7 Adar 5786. This boundary matters for the candle-lighting and the cemetery visit.
Leap year handling. The Hebrew calendar adds an extra month — Adar II — in 7 of every 19 years. If the death occurred in Adar of a non-leap year, the question of which Adar to observe in a leap year is a halakhic dispute: Sephardic and Bukharian practice generally observes in Adar II (the «true» Adar by some opinions); Ashkenazi often observes in both Adar I and Adar II. Confirm with your rabbi.
Tools. Hebcal.com is the most reliable free Yahrzeit calculator — gives 25 years forward with day-of-week, candle-lighting time, and proper leap-year handling. Sefaria and Chabad.org have similar tools. Most Bukharian community websites have their own yahrzeit projection pages.
Candle lighting. The 24-hour yahrzeit candle is lit at sunset on the eve of the Hebrew date. Standard practice: light at the candle-lighting time of the family's local time zone, not the deceased's. The candle should burn until the next sunset (~24 hours).
Cemetery visit. We schedule the cemetery visit in Tashkent for the morning of the Hebrew date in Tashkent time. If you're in New York, our Tashkent morning visit corresponds to your previous night — photos arrive overnight, ready for you to view as the Hebrew date begins for you.
Multi-year subscription. Set this once and forget. In your grave.uz cabinet, register the Hebrew date of death; the system projects 25 years of Yahrzeit visits, places them on your calendar, and assigns reminders to your email and phone. Pause or shift dates anytime.