Does leaving a legacy help us cope with mortality? Israeli study examines mental health link

The Jewish remembrance prayer Yizkor, a special memorial invocation for the departed, is recited in the synagogue four times a year, following the Torah reading on the last day of Passover, the second day of Shavuot, Shmini Atzeret, and Yom Kippur.Yizkor means “remember.” It's not only the first word of the prayer; those who recite it ask God to remember the souls of our relatives and friends who have passed on.Thus, they renew and strengthen the connection between themselves and their loved ones, bringing merit to the departed souls and elevating them in their celestial homes.After reciting it, one makes a private pledge to give charity following the holiday in honor of the deceased as a positive physical deed in this world that the departed can no longer perform.But how do we face our own mortality and not just those of our loved ones who have passed away? What does it mean to feel that a part of us will live on after we are gone?A new Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI) study of 3,000 Israeli Jews found that people who believed they would be remembered by others tended to report better mental health, a stronger sense of meaning, and lower levels of problematic substance use and addictive behaviors.The findings point to a possible connection between our sense of lasting…