Yom Kippur is a Jewish religious holiday that takes place on the 10th day of the lunar month of Tishri, which usually falls in September or October. It is known as the holiest day of the Jewish year and is a 25-hour solemn fast day. The day is marked by abstention from food, drink, and sex, and among Orthodox Jews, the wearing of leather shoes and anointing oneself with oil are forbidden. The holiday is observed by Jews and Samaritans and is considered a day of atonement and repentance to God for personal sins.

Yom Kippur begins with the Kol Nidrei service, which is a declaration that nullifies all the vows and promises that each person will make to God and to him/herself in the coming year if, after our best attempts, we are unable to fulfill them. The service is followed by a full-day affair of several services that run back-to-back, beginning with a morning service, an afternoon service, a memorial service, and finally a closing service.

Yom Kippur ends on a high note, with the shofar being blown and the congregation declaring “Lshana Habaah B’Yerushalayim,” which means "Next Year in Jerusalem!". The holiday is considered a day of Jewish unity, and in Kol Nidre, vows of excommunication against sinning Jews were similarly lifted, and these "transgressors" were allowed to pray alongside other Jews.