Within minutes of the public announcement of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death September 18, Shiva.com experienced a spike of more than 2,000% in traffic. Website traffic rose significantly among those ages 18 to 44 and maintained an increase throughout the weekend with 18- to 34-year-old millennials, who historically helped with the cultural popularization of the “Notorious RGB.” The most reviewed places on Shiva.com included information about Rosh Hashanah, suggested sympathy messages, information about Jewish funeral and burial customs, and suggestions for sympathy gifts.

Ginsburg was the first Jewish female justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and the longest serving Jewish justice. Her death coincided with Shabbat and the beginning of Rosh Hashanah. According to Jewish tradition, those who die on Rosh Hashana are considered “tzadik” – a title given to the righteous and saintly, suggesting that the individual was held back until the last moment because he or she was needed the most.

“I’m calling it the ‘RGB effect,’ ” said Michael Schimmel, CEO of Shiva.com. “With Justice Ginsburg being the first woman in history to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol, we are witnessing many on both sides of the aisle, and several generations, demonstrate an appreciation for the impact she made to the court. There is a genuine interest of the public to appropriately honor someone of the Jewish faith at a time of loss.” shiva.com