Wisdom in the House of Mourning - Kaddish, My Father, and Me

A son’s journey from grief to growth. His father’s path from Auschwitz to America. A ritual with ancient roots that changed everything.

Mark Isakowitz’s father had survived Auschwitz, outlived his tormentors, and built a life in America. Then he was gone. On a cold morning just before dawn, Mark hesitantly walked into a Washington synagogue to follow in the footsteps of his ancestors and recite the Mourner’s Kaddish. He was rusty in the ways of Jewish ritual, but a kind stranger helped him find the page so he could speak the words of his ancestors in the ancient tongue: “Yitgadal v’yitkadash shmey raba.” In that moment, his life changed.

Wisdom in the House of Mourning tells the story of the deep bonds and mysteries between father and son, and offers lessons on how Jews can summon their tradition to navigate these difficult times.