On Passover we say Yizkor, the prayer to remember the deceased who touched our lives. A line in this liturgy says: “In tribute to his/her memory, I pledge to perform acts of charity and goodness. May the deeds I perform and the prayers I offer help to keep his/her soul bound up in the bond of life as an enduring source of blessings.”

Traditionally we have taken this to mean, we honor those who have gone before us with the mitzvah of tzedakah.