Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement

Tonight begins Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year. Today we atone and we pray. Pray hard that good triumphs over evil. Pray for our nation.

Yom Kippur
The Day of Atonement
Chabad
Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year—the day on which we are closest to G‑d and to the quintessence of our own souls. It is the Day of Atonement—“For on this day He will forgive you, to purify you, that you be cleansed from all your sins before G‑d” (Leviticus 16:30).
Yom Kippur 2020 (the Day of Atonement): September 27–28

Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year—the day on which we are closest to G‑d and to the quintessence of our own souls. It is the Day of Atonement—“For on this day He will forgive you, to purify you, that you be cleansed from all your sins before G‑d” (Leviticus 16:30).

For nearly twenty-six hours—from several minutes before sunset on 9 Tishrei (September 27) to after nightfall on 10 Tishrei (September 28)—we “afflict our souls”: we abstain from food and drink, do not wash or anoint our bodies, do not wear leather footwear, and abstain from marital relations. Instead our time is spent in prayer to G‑d. . . Read more about Yom Kippur

We are wishing our Jewish readers a Tzom kal (a safe and easy fast).

France vows to protect its Jewish community on Yom Kippur after stabbing

Interior minister says 7,000 police and soldiers guarding synagogue services, warns of more Islamic terror attacks

By AP

PARIS, France — France’s interior minister promised Sunday to protect France’s Jewish community from extremists after a double stabbing in Paris blamed on Islamic terrorism.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin visited a synagogue Sunday ahead of the evening start of Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, and said more than 7,000 police and soldiers were protecting Jewish services. France has Europe’s largest Jewish community.

“I came to assure … members of France’s Jewish community of the protection of the state,” Darmanin told reporters. “Because we know that Jews are particularly targeted by Islamist attacks and we should obviously protect them.”

Rosh Hashanah. Yom Kippur.

They’re two of the most familiar – and important – days on the Jewish religious calendar, but did you know that the two events are strongly connected? And what these special days actually represent?

For some, Rosh Hashanah is called the “birthday of the world.” It marks the start of the Jewish New Year, and is filled with shared meals and prayer among loved ones. The celebration also begins the Jewish High Holy Days leading up to Yom Kippur – and a time when Jews focus their attention on repentance and reflection of action.

Here’s what to know about these holy days:
When are Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in 2020?

This year, Rosh Hashanah begins at sunset on Friday, Sept. 18, and ends two days later at sunset on Sunday, Sept. 20. It’s the start of the Jewish month of Tishrei, or Tishri, which falls in September or October, according to the Gregorian calendar. It’s the first month of the civil year for Jews or the seventh month of the ecclesiastical year. Some years, Rosh Hashanah can start in early September or as late as early October.

Yom Kippur will begin in the following week – on the evening of Sunday, Sept. 27, and end the evening of Monday, Sept. 28.
What is Rosh Hashanah?

It marks the start of the Jewish New Year, as stated in the Bible (Leviticus 23:23-31).

While some ancient cultures, such as the Celts, celebrated the start of a new year during the spring equinox because it was the time of planting, Semitic cultures in the Near East celebrated the new year in the fall, after the harvest was gathered. The name of Rosh Hashanah can be translated as “first” or “head of the year.” It is also sometimes called “The Feast of Trumpets.”
The text of a 200-year-old Torah scroll that underwent restoration in 2014-15 at the University of Arizona Center for Judaic Studies in Tucson. The Torah is the central holy text in Judaism.

Also, Rosh Hashanah marks the start of the Jewish High Holy Days leading up to Yom Kippur. It marks the beginning of the 10 “Days of Awe,” in which Jews focus their attentions on repentance and reflection leading up to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, considered to be holiest day of the Jewish year. Traditionally, the blood of an animal was sacrificed as a way to remove sin or defilement.

According to tradition, the names of the righteous are written in the Book of Life and names of the wicked are written in the Book of Death. For everyone else – most people – you have 10 days to repent before your fate is sealed in one of the two books.
Why does it last for two days?

Religious holidays normally last for one day. But not Rosh Hashanah.

It’s actually called yoma arichta – translated as “a long day” – because the 48-hour period when Rosh Hashanah is observed is actually considered to be one extended day. It’s the only Jewish holiday that is two days long both outside and inside Israel.

Ancient Jews relied on a calendar based on actual cycles of the moon, not one arbitrarily set. Thus, the key to determining the first day of each month was the sighting of the new moon. It was so important that it required confirmation by two or more witnesses.

Yom Kippur candle-lighting times for Israel and US

Light Candles at: 6:25 p.m.
Yom Kippur Ends at: 7:24 p.m.
Los Angeles
Light Candles at: 6:23 p.m.
Yom Kippur Ends at: 7:23 p.m.
Jerusalem
Light Candles at: 5:53 p.m.
Yom Kippur Ends at: 7:03 p.m.
Tel Aviv
Light Candles at: 6:09 p.m.
Yom Kippur Ends at: 7:05 p.m.
Haifa
Light Candles at: 6:02 p.m.
Yom Kippur Ends at: 7:04 p.m.
Beersheba
Light Candles at: 6:11 p.m.
Yom Kippur Ends at: 7:05 p.m.