New Yahrtzeit Davening and Aliya Policy
As the Shul B”H continues to grow and the demographics of its members have changed over the course of the years, there are unfortunately
an increasing number of members that now have yahrzeits. While the Shul recognizes the importance that some members place on davening
for the amud in observance of yahrtzeits, there are often conflicts with other yahrzeits, smachot or other events occurring in the Shul
on any given week. In addition, it is often an imposition on the tzibbur for the same person to daven multiple tefilos on Shabbos and Yom Tov.
A shul has the right and an obligation to balance all of these needs. Members are respectfully encouraged to keep in mind that it is a far
greater honor to one’s departed family member to be “mevater” or give up one’s right to daven for the amud than it is to cause dissention
or strife (see Meseches Yoma 39a).
In order to properly address these conflicting interests and develop a fair procedure for determining who will daven for the amud, the Shul leadership together with Rabbi Luban and the Shul Board, have instituted the following new policies, to be effective immediately:
In order to properly address these conflicting interests and develop a fair procedure for determining who will daven for the amud, the Shul leadership together with Rabbi Luban and the Shul Board, have instituted the following new policies, to be effective immediately:
- Subject to availability, members who have yahrzeit for a parent are entitled to daven for the amud one tefilah on Shabbos or Yom Tov day
(i.e. , Pesukei D’zimrah, Shacharis or Musaf) and receive an aliya (which can be maftir, if available).
Member may also daven Kabbalas Shabbos/Maariv if available and at the discretion of the gabbaim.
For this policy to be fair and objective, no exceptions will be made including if the yahrtzeit is “bo bayom”.
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Any other member requesting to daven in honor of the yahrzeit of a non-parent may be allowed to daven for the amud or receive an aliya based upon availability and at the discretion of the gabbaim.
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Ba’alei simcha, when making a kiddush, are entitled to choose the ba’alei tefilah over Shabbos and a reasonable number of
aliyos, but not necessarily all aliyos. Members with yahrzeits are entitled to receive an aliya on the same Shabbos that another
member is making a simcha in the Shul, subject to availability. If the ba’al simcha would like to distribute more aliyos than
are available due to the number of yahrzeits that week, it is incumbent upon the ba’al simcha to ask the member with the
yahrzeit if he would be willing to daven at another minyan. Conflicts are expected to be resolved amicably between the members.
This is the responsibility of the members and not the gabbaim.