Yom Kippur is a solemn and reflective holiday, so it is not customary to greet those observing with “Happy Yom Kippur” . Instead, there are several greetings that are appropriate to use:

• "Have an easy fast": This is the best greeting to give to someone observing Yom Kippur in English. It is also very much appreciated.

• "Gmar chatima tovah": This Hebrew greeting translates to "a good final sealing" in English. It is the most common Jewish greeting on Yom Kippur. It references the traditional belief that a person’s fate for the coming year is written on Rosh Hashanah and sealed on Yom Kippur.

• "Tzom kal": This Hebrew greeting translates to "an easy fast" in English. It is often used in the days preceding the fast or just as its beginning.

• "Gmar tov": This Hebrew greeting is an abbreviated version of "Gmar chatima tovah" and also means "a good final sealing".

• "Have a meaningful fast": This is another English greeting that honors the tone of the holiday while remaining festive for the ongoing Jewish New Year celebrations.

Other generic Jewish holiday greetings are also used on Yom Kippur, including "chag sameach" (happy holiday), "gut yontiff" (good day), and "yom tov" (good day) .