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API Yahrtzeit calculator
I'm trying to use the Yahrtzeit API to setup a automations notifying my community of upcoming yahrtzeits. The trouble is, sometimes the API returns the actual upcoming yahrtzeit under the "start" field, and sometimes it returns the most recent one. The inconsistency is tripping up my automations. Any ideas?
Answer
Thanks for your message. Can you post some sample output from the API and highlight exactly what looks different than what you are expecting to see?
Hi Michael,
Thanks for your quick response. This resource is amazing!
One time, I got the following return, where indeed the next upcoming recurrence is under "start". In the following scenario, I entered the date of passing as July, 7 2022:
- DataCollection
- titleYahrzeit
- dateJune 16, 2026 7:06 PM
- version6.5.3-3.8.2
- rangeCollection
- start2026-06-23
- end2027-07-13
- itemsArray
- 1Collection
- titlePerson1’s 4th Yahrzeit (8th of Tamuz)
- date2026-06-23
- hdate8 Tamuz 5786
- memoHebcal joins you in remembering Person1, whose 4th Yahrzeit occurs on Tuesday, June 23, corresponding to the 8th of Tamuz, 5786. Person1’s Yahrzeit begins at sundown on Monday, June 22 and continues until sundown on the day of observance. It is customary to light a memorial candle at dusk as the Yahrzeit begins. May your loved one’s soul be bound up in the bond of eternal life and may their memory serve as a continued source of inspiration and comfort to you.
- namePerson1
- categoryyahrzeit
- anniversary4
- 2Collection
- titlePerson1’s 5th Yahrzeit (8th of Tamuz)
- date2027-07-13
- hdate8 Tamuz 5787
- memoHebcal joins you in remembering Person1, whose 5th Yahrzeit occurs on Tuesday, July 13, corresponding to the 8th of Tamuz, 5787. Person1’s Yahrzeit begins at sundown on Monday, July 12 and continues until sundown on the day of observance. It is customary to light a memorial candle at dusk as the Yahrzeit begins. May your loved one’s soul be bound up in the bond of eternal life and may their memory serve as a continued source of inspiration and comfort to you.
- namePerson1
- categoryyahrzeit
- anniversary5
- 1Collection
Other times, I got the upcoming occurrence under the "end" field. In this case I submitted the yahrtzeit as Jun 20, 2022. Notice the "start" field return has already passed:
- DataCollection
- titleYahrzeit
- dateJune 16, 2026 7:22 PM
- version6.5.3-3.8.2
- rangeCollection
- start2026-06-06
- end2027-06-26
- itemsArray
- 1Collection
- titlePerson1’s 4th Yahrzeit (21st of Sivan)
- date2026-06-06
- hdate21 Sivan 5786
- memoHebcal joins you in remembering Person1, whose 4th Yahrzeit occurs on Saturday, June 6, corresponding to the 21st of Sivan, 5786. Person1’s Yahrzeit begins at sundown on Friday, June 5 and continues until sundown on the day of observance. It is customary to light a memorial candle before sundown as the Yahrzeit begins. May your loved one’s soul be bound up in the bond of eternal life and may their memory serve as a continued source of inspiration and comfort to you.
- namePerson1
- categoryyahrzeit
- anniversary4
- 2Collection
- titlePerson1’s 5th Yahrzeit (21st of Sivan)
- date2027-06-26
- hdate21 Sivan 5787
- memoHebcal joins you in remembering Person1, whose 5th Yahrzeit occurs on Saturday, June 26, corresponding to the 21st of Sivan, 5787. Person1’s Yahrzeit begins at sundown on Friday, June 25 and continues until sundown on the day of observance. It is customary to light a memorial candle before sundown as the Yahrzeit begins. May your loved one’s soul be bound up in the bond of eternal life and may their memory serve as a continued source of inspiration and comfort to you.
- namePerson1
- categoryyahrzeit
- anniversary5
- 1Collection
Thanks for posting an example. I'm guessing that you're not specifying a start year, so the API is using the current Hebrew year (5786) as the start year. Hebrew year 5786 began on Tue, 23 September 2025, so the dates generated by the API could be as early as that date.
In your second example of Person1’s 4th Yahrzeit (21st of Sivan) the date is 2026-06-06 / 21 Sivan 5786 which may have been after the date you called the API but matches what you've asked the API to deliver you -- all calculations of dates during Hebrew years 5786-5787.
Does this help?
That does help clarify why that was happening. Is there a way to ask the API to deliver the next occurrence based on today's calendar date (the date the API was called)?
Not currently. Can you specify years=2 or years=3 and then filter/ignore any events that are before today?
Customer support service by UserEcho
Thanks for posting an example. I'm guessing that you're not specifying a start year, so the API is using the current Hebrew year (5786) as the start year. Hebrew year 5786 began on Tue, 23 September 2025, so the dates generated by the API could be as early as that date.
In your second example of Person1’s 4th Yahrzeit (21st of Sivan) the date is 2026-06-06 / 21 Sivan 5786 which may have been after the date you called the API but matches what you've asked the API to deliver you -- all calculations of dates during Hebrew years 5786-5787.
Does this help?