Tkhine of the Matriarchs for Yizkor

This “tkhine” (supplication) is a para-liturgical prayer in Yiddish with an English translation that is meant to be recited following the Yizkor Memorial service. The prayer beseeches God for mercy, blessing and compassion for both the living and dead. It was originally written in Yiddish by Rebbetzin Seril Rappaport (18th century, Poland), the daughter of the Maggid of Dubno and author of many original prayers. The English translation provided here was edited by Aharon Varady, the founding director of The Open Siddur Project, which aims to liberate the creative content of Jewish spiritual practice as a commonly held resource for adoption, adaptation, and redistribution.