Jewish funerals come quickly — often within a day or two. If you're staring at a blank page with a heavy heart, Shpiel helps you turn memories into an honest hesped: who they were, what they valued, in their tradition and your words.
"I hadn't set foot in a shul in years, and I was terrified to speak at my dad's funeral. Shpiel helped me find words that were honest, Jewish, and completely him. People told me it was the most beautiful hesped they'd heard."
Questions that unlock memory when nothing else does: what did they do that no one else did? What will you miss on an ordinary Tuesday?
Honest, never exaggerated — the tradition itself asks for truth over praise. Jewish to the degree that fits their life.
Read it aloud once. Bring it printed, in large type.
The tradition warns against exaggerating in a hesped. You don't need to make your father a saint — you need to make him recognizable. Shpiel writes from your true stories, holds the Jewish thread only as strongly as it ran through their life, and leaves every word yours to change.
A son or daughter · A spouse · A grandchild · A sibling · A friend
"My father answered the phone the same way for fifty years — like he'd been waiting all day for exactly your call. That was not technique. That was who he was."
A gentle guide, if you'd like it: How to Write a Jewish Eulogy (Hesped).
Whenever you're ready, Shpiel is here to help you find the words.
Begin, when you're ready →