Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year, and it is known as the "Day of Atonement". It takes place on the tenth day of Tishri, the first month of the civil year and the seventh month of the religious year in the Hebrew calendar. The purpose of Yom Kippur is to effect individual and collective purification by the practice of forgiveness of the sins of others and by sincere repentance for one’s own sins against God. During the 10-day period leading up to Yom Kippur, known as the Days of Awe or Days of Repentance, Jews are thought to be able to influence God’s plans for the coming year. On Yom Kippur, Jews traditionally ask for forgiveness for their wrongdoings from God. Jews strive to transcend their physical bodies on Yom Kippur so that they can focus on their souls. Therefore, traditionally, Jews fast on Yom Kippur, refraining from both food and drink for the entire 25 hours of the holiday. It is also traditional to refrain from other earthly pleasures, such as bathing and wearing leather shoes, something seen as a luxury in ancient times. Many Jews choose to wear white, symbolizing purity and renewal as they repent for their past sins.

Yom Kippur is marked by abstention from food, drink, and sex. Among Orthodox Jews, the wearing of leather shoes and anointing oneself with oil are forbidden. Jewish congregations spend the eve of Yom Kippur and the entire day in prayer and meditation. On the eve of Yom Kippur, the Kol Nidre is recited, which is famous for its beautiful melody and is a declaration annulling all vows made during the course of the year insofar as they concern oneself. The services on Yom Kippur itself last continuously from morning to evening and include readings from the Torah and the reciting of penitential prayers. Yizkor, which are memorial prayers for the recently deceased, may also be recited by members of the congregation. The services end with closing prayers and the sounding of the shofar, or ram’s horn, which is an indication that God’s.

While Yom Kippur is a day for private introspection, it is also a day of powerful communal connection. The confessional statements that Jews recite throughout the day are worded in the plural - we seek forgiveness for the sin WE committed. Uniting in this way with fellow Jews illustrates that together, they can overcome the obstacles in their path. By facing their wrongdoing as a collective, they elevate the enti...