This year, Yom Kippur begins on Wednesday evening, October 1, and ends at nightfall on Thursday, October 2.
Yom Kippur, known as the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish year. It’s a solemn, powerful time for reflection, prayer, and seeking forgiveness. Here are four important aspects of this sacred day:
1. Communal Confession
Throughout the Yom Kippur services, the entire congregation participates in a communal confession (called Vidui). These confessions are repeated multiple times during the day, not just for personal sins, but for the collective wrongdoings of the community. It’s a reminder that we are responsible for one another.
2. The 10th Day of Repentance
Yom Kippur marks the final day of the Ten Days of Repentance, which began with Rosh Hashanah. According to Jewish tradition, this is when your fate for the coming year is sealed. It’s a day to take stock of your actions, make amends, and commit to positive change.
3. Prayer and Fasting
The day is spent in extended prayer, with services running from evening to evening. It is traditional to fast and abstain from physical pleasures. However, residents and those for whom fasting would pose a health risk should not fast. Preserving life and health always comes first in Jewish law.
4. Seeking and Granting Forgiveness
One of the core values of Yom Kippur is forgiveness. But before asking God for forgiveness, a person must first seek forgiveness from others they may have wronged. God can’t forgive sins committed against another until that person is approached directly. By the end of the day, if one has sincerely repented, their spiritual slate is considered wiped clean, offering a chance to begin the new year fresh.
Wishing you a meaningful Yom Kippur filled with reflection, healing, and renewal.
For information about our High Holiday services, please email Jill Newman at jnewman@sevenacres.org.