The Feel-Good Guide to Sports, Travel, Shopping & Entertainment

MAIN Holidays & Observances Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is a Day of Atonement for Jews the world over.

As the name suggests, it is the time of year when practicing Jews make amends for past sins.

On the Jewish religious calendar, Yom Kippur is the end of the spiritual New Year celebrations that began with Rosh Hashana when Jews look back on their transgressions of the past year and ask for forgiveness.

When is Yom Kippur this year? This year, Yom Kippur begins on October 11 at sundown and ends at the evening of October 12, 2024.

Traditionally, the day is spent in prayer and fasting, beginning before sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur and ending after nightfall on the day of Yom Kippur.

At Orthodox synagogues, all-day services beginning in the morning, and continuing until about mid-afternoon, followed by evening services continuing until nightfall. Yom Kippur services conclude with closing prayers and the blowing of the shofar.

Meals & Recipes for Yom Kippur

Following a full day of serious contemplation -- and no eating or drinking -- 'breaking fast' is one of the most anticipated traditions of Yom Kippur!

Traditionally, the break fast meal includes cheese or other dairy dishes, as well as apples and honey to celebrate the sweetness of life -- and egg dishes as a symbol of life and rebirth.

On a more practical note, these ingredients are usually easily digestible after a long fast, and can be combined in wide range of delicious dishes for celebrating the end of Yom Kippur. These might include egg quiches, omelets, souffles, French toast, cream cheese, or yogurt and honey

Most modern Jewish families will prepare breakfast meals beforehand and have them ready for their post holy day celebration. For this reason, easy make ahead meals are also very popular for breaking fast at Yom Kippur.

Yom Kippur fun facts

• The common greeting among Jews on Yom Kippur is "have an easy fast".

• In addition to fasting, wearing white during the holiday is a tradition meant to symbolize purity.

• Jewish baseball pitcher Sandy Koufax made national headlines in 1965 when he decided not to pitch in game 1 of the World Series because it fell on Yom Kippur.

• Egypt and Syria thought Israel would be distracted during the holy day and initiated what became known as the Yom Kippur War. It began on October 6, 1973 and it ended with a ceasefire on October 25th following Israel 's successful counterattack.

also see in Holidays -> Chanukah | also see in Religion -> Judaism

More about Yom Kippur around the Web:

Find out more about special services, fasting, special Yom Kippur recipes, candlelight blessings, prayers and customs observed on Yom Kippur in an Internet tour of the Jewish calendar's highest of High Holy Days...

Yom Kippur Central - They named it right - and offering up complete info and audio courses extending from overviews, stories and Torah readings, to the role of the high priest, an in-depth look at Kol Nidre and the ten days of repentance.

Ohr Somayach - Holidays / Rosh Hashana & Yom Kippur - More of everything you ever wanted to know in feature stories, lectures, and link categories leading to related info on Laws & Customs, Insights & Rituals, Humor & Poetry, Quizzes and more.

Judaism 101: Yom Kippur - With information on fasting and other observances of this solemn day with details on liturgical services, an interactive audio clip of the traditional Kol Nidre prayer, and additional info on Sukkot, the Jewish calendar's most joyous holiday that follows shortly after...

Torah Tots - Yom Kippur - More kid-friendly info on special services, garments worn by the high priest, Kapparot and other traditional customs together with related coloring pages, e-cards and interactive games.