YOM KIPPUR

A few days after Rosh Hashanah is Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year, also called the Day of Atonement. This day along with Rosh Hashana are called the Jewish High Holidays.

Keep reading if you are not Jewish and are wondering what and why your Jewish friends are fasting on this day and what traditions and ceremonies go into this Day of Atonement or maybe you are Jewish and want a refresher course on the holiday. We have all the details for you from the meals to the prayers and all the traditions and ceremonies.

For adults, this holiday is a day of reflection, fasting and prayer services. All Jewish holidays start at one hour before sunset on the evening before. So the day before Yom Kippur many jews are eating a lot of food to sustain them for the fasting day ahead of them. In addition there are some traditions and rituals that help prepare jews for Yom Kippur. 

In the early afternoon, families get together for the Pre-Yom Kippur meal. This is traditionally a festive holiday meal, replete with holiday foods, including (round) Challahs. Although this is a festive meal, it is not a religious meal and no holiday blessings are said.

The day before Yom Kippur many jews will taking part in a ceremoney where they bless their children ceremony meant to wish for them a good and meaningful year. They will place their  hands on the child’s head and bless him or her. 
 Everyone who hears should say Amen and the blessing should be said slowly so the child feels the parents love. In the above blessing the word Hashem, means G-d. Jews can even add their own blessings. Jews say this loudly and clearly so the child can hear. They think what they want to bless their child with? What are their hopes for him or her?  

GIVE CHARITY
One of the traditions of the day before Yom Kippur is to give extra charity before the holiday.

MEMORIAL CANDLES ARE LIT

Some families light Yahrtzeit  or Memorial candles to remember those who passed away. These special candles will burn through the night and the following day of the holiday and Fast Day.

You can often purchase these in the kosher Isle of Vons, Ralphs or Albertsons

HOLIDAY CANDLES ARE LIT & A BLESSING IS SAID AS THE FAST BEGINS
Just before sunset (before the beginning of Yom Kippur), women and girls light candles to welcome the holiday.  

THE FAST

Once the candles are lit, adults fast—they don’t eat or drink. Many Jews dress in white, the reason is that dressing white remind jews of angels, so the white helps inspire them to be as pure and angelic as an angel. In addition jews do not wear eather shoes on this day. The reason is that Leather shoes symbolize comforts, and by limiting physical pleasure, we are sending a message to G-d that they are really serious about wanting to do good and wanting to atone for any sins of  the previous year.

Kol Nidrei is the official name of the prayers that usher in Yom Kippur. In this service jews ask 

G-d to forgive them for any commitments that we made and did not keep.  

Yizkor is called the Memorial Service where jews remember their departed parents on Yom Kippur with the special Yizkor service during morning services. 

Neila & Final blowing of the Shofar occur at the very end of the Fast Day. During this service, all the people in the synagogue say this prayer and the Shofar is blown again.

As soon as Yom Kippur is over, jews say Havdallah, which is a short prayer that marks the conclusion of the holiday and fast. Then they get to enjoy and eat a joyous feast.  This can be done at home, or together with the community in the synagogue.