Yahrtzeit candles

November 30, 2011

My synagogue, the Summit Jewish Community Center, recently reminded me that my dear mother’s yahrtzeit will occur on Dec. 28. This jogged my memory that all the glasses in our apartment were from recycled yahrtzeit candles! But those glasses had wider openings at the top, that allowed the tallow to melt down to the bottom of the glass.

Today, not only do I find tiny yahrtzeit candles (good for fruit juice, though), but the opening — not being wider than the bottom — suffocates the flame and prevents the candle from burning completely.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to manufacture yahrtzeit candles that will burn to the bottom, I think.

Claire Schiff
Summit