How do you remember a loved one who has passed? This is a question I have been focusing on lately. My father passed in January, and we are planning his celebration of life. Today we are sharing a book about the Jewish tradition of the yahrzeit candle. It is a tradition I had not heard of. The book is A Flame Burns On by Richard Ho and illustrated by Carmel Ben Ami. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
About the Book:
A girl and her mom light a candle to honor the memory of a loved one in this gorgeously illustrated picture book about this special Jewish tradition.Each year, a girl and her mom light a yahrzeit candle on the anniversary of an uncle’s passing. Even though she was young when he died, her memories of him shine bright and clear: all the times they went camping, read together, and how he was there for every birthday.
The mom and daughter spend the day exchanging their favorite stories, sometimes laughing or shedding a tear, and visiting his plot, his spirit lives on, rekindled in the yahrzeit candle's flame. It’s then that the girl understands the true purpose of her family’s custom: to share, celebrate, and heal.
With luminous art that glows on the page, A Flame Burns On is an unforgettable, poignant story about finding joy and light in the darkness, and an ode to the loved ones that stay in our hearts forever, long after they are gone.
Backmatter includes an author’s note that explains the custom and significance of lighting a yahrzeit candle.
From Me:
A girl and her mother light a special candle called a yahrzeit candle on the anniversary of her uncle's death. They spend the day watching the flame and sharing their memories of him. The girl shares her memories are filled with light. Light of him helping her, light of a campfire, and so on. As they share memories and watch the flame, they laugh and they cry and often do both. This is a wonderful way to think about memories of loved ones and share them. After all most of us do cry and laugh when sharing memories of a loved one who has passed. The book discusses how the tradition helps connect the loved one to the world, community, and family. It helps celebrate as well as helping the loved ones heal. It also helps the girl keep her memories of her uncle and know he is always in her heart.
At the end of the book is the Author's Note and the Illustrator's Note. The Author's Note explains the Yiddish word yahrzeit as well as more about the tradition and how he learned about the tradition. The Illustrator's Note discusses memories of the yahrzeit candle in her own childhood as well as a loss while working on the book and how the project actually helped her heal. It is a book about love, light, memories and healing. It is a beautiful tradition shared in a gorgeous way.
This book is perfect for a Jewish family looking to introduce the tradition of the yahrzeit candle as well as for a child who has recently lost someone. It is a book sharing the possibility of healing and enjoying the memories while saying goodbye. It doesn't make light of the grief but shows a healthy way of dealing with it. I also love that is just shares a Jewish tradition and a piece of the Jewish culture.
