Honoring Memory withTradition and Innovation

The story of YahrDigital began in 2005, rooted in a moment of deep reflection and unexpected inspiration. While saying Kaddish for his mother, founder Jerry Siegel witnessed a poignant scene—a woman had come to honor her late husband on the anniversary of his passing, only to find that the yahrzeit light on the memorial board had not been lit.

Overcome with grief, she tearfully left the service, expressing heartbreak and frustration, feeling as though the congregation had forgotten her husband. As she walked away, she vowed to stop donating, and that moment stuck with Jerry.

He recalls a voice—sounding a lot like his late uncle—urging, "Fix it." That simple directive sparked an idea: what if memorial boards could be automated to eliminate human error and ensure every light shone at the right time?

Over the next six months, Jerry brought this vision to life through the development of Yahrzeitronix, a system designed to bring reliability and dignity to synagogue memorial practices. But seventeen years later, another gap became clear—many smaller congregations couldn't afford large, elaborate memorial presentations. They needed something scalable, affordable, and just as meaningful.

And so, YahrDigital was born—a solution built with accessibility, compassion, and innovation at its core.

Lisa discovered her connection to Judaism during summers in Jackson, Mississippi, with her beloved grandparents, Celeste and D.H. Orkin. One especially meaningful summer was spent at Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica, MS—a camp her grandmother Celeste founded to serve Southern Jewish youth. Though Lisa lives in Los Angeles, those memories remain close to her heart.

Celeste embodied the spirit of L'dor Vador—passing down Jewish values from generation to generation—and was a deeply influential leader in the Southern Jewish community. Lisa hopes to carry that legacy forward in her own meaningful way.

When Jerry shared his vision for YahrDigital, Lisa was drawn to the mission. With a career in technology and software sales, she saw the opportunity to blend innovation with tradition in a powerful and purposeful way. YahrDigital replaces traditional bronze plaques with beautifully illuminated digital memorial boards—automatically lighting up on each yahrzeit—helping synagogues honor loved ones while also reclaiming wall space and creating a new revenue stream of support for their community.

Lisa now partners with Rabbis, Executive Directors, Boards, and Congregational Leaders nationwide, offering thoughtful demos and conversations to help determine whether YahrDigital is the right fit for their synagogue.