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How to Prepare to Fast on Yom Kippur
Experienced fasters agree that hydrating as much as possible before a fast is vitally important. If you can, start to drink extra water at least two days before the fast begins.
What is Yom Kippur?
Yom Kippur means "Day of Atonement" and refers to the annual Jewish observance of fasting, prayer, and repentance. Part of the High Holidays, which also includes Rosh HaShanah (the Jewish New Year), Yom Kippur is considered the holiest day on the Jewish calendar.
Yom Kippur is the moment in Jewish time when we dedicate our mind, body, and soul to reconciliation with our fellow human beings, ourselves, and God. As the New Year begins, we commit to self-reflection and inner change. As both seekers and givers of pardon, we turn first to those whom we have wronged, acknowledging our sins and the pain we have caused them. We are also commanded to forgive, to be willing to let go of any resentment we feel towards those who have committed offenses against us. Only then can we turn to God and ask for forgiveness. As we read in the Yom Kippur liturgy, “And for all these, God of forgiveness, forgive us, pardon us, and grant us atonement.”
Find Services
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Attend Virtual High Holiday Services
Many congregations offer virtual High Holiday services and programs for non-members.
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A Parent's Must-Have Guide to Handling the High Holidays
The High Holidays bring a special kind of panic upon Jewish families. Here's your guide to helping them go more smoothly.
Kol Nidrei
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Sounds of Kol Nidrei
The melody that stirs the heart of Ashkenazic Jews is of unknown origin, but is part of a body of music known as "MiSinai melodies" that emerged in Germany between the 11th and 15th centuries.
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Chocolate Outs Jews on Yom Kippur
Crypto-Jews living in Mexico in the 17th century, under the surveillance of the Inquisition, developed sticky subterfuges to avoid being outed for their undercover Jewish practices, including those that related to chocolate drinking.
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Relating to Yom Kippur
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Jewish Questions
- At what age do Jews start to participate in a fast on Yom Kippur? What if they are sick and not well enough to fast?
- Can I Get Married between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur?
- Does one wear a tallit to services the night of Yom Kippur (Kol Nidrei)?
- I plan to attend Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur services this year for the first time. Will I be expected to donate money during the service, like in a church service? If so, what’s the "right” amount?
- Is Yom Kippur like confession?
- What Are Yom Kippur Yizkor Prayers?
- What Greetings are Appropriate on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur?
Ways to Prepare
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Yom Kippur Videos
Learn about Tashlich, blow the shofar and more high holiday traditions with these videos.
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Yom Kippur Social Action Guide
Ideas for incorporating social action themes into your Yom Kippur observance.
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How to Ready Your Young Child for Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur and toddlers don’t seem to go together very well. On the most solemn day of the calendar, it can be difficult to figure out what to do with a young child who isn’t ready to sit in services all day.
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Crossing the Bridge from the Particular to the Universal
This year, as Jews across the globe begin to prepare for the High Holy Days, the most sacred time of year, I personally feel a sense of deep despair and fierce urgency to enter the year of 5786 embracing the particular and the universal.
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Two Pockets, Two Lessons, One New Year
As the shofar’s call approaches and we step into the sacred space of a new year, we are invited to hold two truths at once: that our lives matter beyond measure, and that we are but a small part of a vast and unfolding universe.
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Let Kids Read Books During High Holiday Services
In the fifth grade, I aged out of my synagogue’s High Holidays kiddie services. Countless Jewish families have faced this dilemma over the years. Many of us consider Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur the only two occasions when attending services is mandatory.