Ethical wills, sometimes called spiritual or legacy letters, are resources Jews have used for centuries to articulate and pass on deeply held values and beliefs. Historically, they were letters written by parents to children; now they often address a wider circle of friends and family, and can come in audio, video, or other creative formats. No matter the format, they contain a person’s moral legacy, including stories, life lessons, and blessings for the future.

There are many reasons to make an ethical will: to reflect on how we have lived and how we wish to live; to give and to ask for love; to pass on what we don’t want forgotten; to forgive and to be forgiven; to remember and to be remembered; to leave behind something personal and distinctive for friends and family.

Join Rabbi Yael as we develop our own personal Ethical Wills during the High Holiday season this year.

Ethical Wills: A Values Vault for Future Generations© is an initiative of the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan and the Center for Pastoral Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary, and is supported by a generous grant from the Charles H. Revson Foundation.