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The term "Yahrtzeit" presumably comes from the German word Jahrzeit. ("Jahr" meaning "year" and "zeit" meaning "time".) Is there a hebrew word or phrase (or spelling) for the concept of a yahrtzeit?

(If there is one, it should be added to the yahrtzeit tag.)

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I can't remember the exact word right now, but the shoresh is "Zecher", and no, not Yizkor. – avi Jan 25 '12 at 13:28
I think you're incorrect that English yahrzeit is from German. I think it's from Yiddish. The OED (online edition) agrees with me: "Etymology: Yiddish, < Middle High German jarzît anniversary, < Old High German jâr year (noun 1) + zît time." – msh210♦ Jan 25 '12 at 15:58
@msh210 - Where do you think Yiddish got it from? – Moshe Jan 25 '12 at 16:21
The OED says where Yiddish got it from: Middle High German. That's German's ancestor as well as Yiddish's, but isn't the same as what we now call "German". – msh210♦ Jan 25 '12 at 16:26
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@Adam Chaf not Chet :P – avi Feb 7 '12 at 10:44
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3 Answers

up vote 6 down vote accepted

I think in modern Hebrew it's אזכרה - Azkara.

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this is what the Israeli's I know call it. – Menachem Jan 25 '12 at 14:37
Thats the word I was looking for! – avi Jan 25 '12 at 14:41
up vote 4 down vote

The Sefardim typically refer to this as הילולה. (Hee-loo-lah).

http://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%94%D7%99%D7%9C%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%94

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Is it not spelled with an alef at the end, being an Aramaic noun? – msh210♦ Jan 25 '12 at 15:59
no (at least not in modern Hebrew). I will add a link to the Hebrew Wikipedia article on the word. – user1095 Jan 25 '12 at 17:19
up vote 2 down vote

I always thought of it as יום הזכרון

Kitzur Shulchan Oruch 128(6) translates someone who has a יאר צייט as a בעל יום זכרון So יום זכרון (without the ה) could have been a translation if not for אזכרה.

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-1 יום הזכרון (without any qualifiers) refers to Israel's Memorial Day. – user1095 Jan 25 '12 at 17:45
@Will Thank you for setting me right. – Avrohom Yitzchok Jan 25 '12 at 22:55

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