Current:Home > MyYom Kippur 2023: What to know about the holiest day of the year in Judaism -Ascend Finance Compass
Yom Kippur 2023: What to know about the holiest day of the year in Judaism
View
Date:2025-04-22 21:15:38
Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year in Judaism, begins this weekend.
The name Yom Kippur translates from Hebrew to English as the Day of Atonement. Jewish people may spend the day fasting, attending synagogue or observing the holiday in other ways. It follows Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.
Danielle Kranjec is the associate vice president of Jewish education at Hillel International. She explained what Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur represents in Judaism: “Spiritually, they say on Rosh Hashanah it is written, and on Yom Kippur it is sealed, the idea being that everything that's going to happen in the year to come, the stage is set during this time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.”
For those unfamiliar with the holiday, here are some things to know.
What is Yom Kippur and how is it observed?
Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, is when Jews reflect on sins or wrongdoings from the previous year. Many Jews will attend services at synagogues or other congregations, reciting special prayers and singing special songs.
One of the most common Yom Kippur traditions is to fast for 25 hours, not eating or drinking from the night Yom Kippur begins into the night it ends.
When is Yom Kippur? How long does it last?
Yom Kippur begins at sundown on Sunday, Sept.24, 2023, and ends in the evening on Monday, Sept. 25, 2023. It lasts one day, while Rosh Hashanah lasts two days.
What is Rosh Hashanah?:Here's what you need to know about the Jewish New Year
Don't say 'Happy Yom Kippur':How to greet someone observing the Jewish Day of Atonement
What are common traditions during Yom Kippur?
Many Jewish families and communities will gather before Yom Kippur begins and after it ends to share festive meals, to prepare to fast and then to break their fasts together.
Another important observance is the blowing of the shofar, or a curved ram’s horn. The shofar is sounded ceremonially to conclude Yom Kippur, Kranjec shared.
“That is an important communal moment where the closing prayers of Yom Kippur are said together, and someone blows the ram's horn and everyone hears it together, and then the fast is broken together,” she said.
How should you greet people during Yom Kippur?
"G’mar chatima tova” is the customary greeting on Yom Kippur. In English, it means “May you be sealed in the Book of Life.”
According to Jewish tradition, one's fate is decided on Rosh Hashanah and sealed on Yom Kippur.
“In English, you might say to friends or colleagues ‘have a meaningful Yom Kippur,’ Kranjec shared. “Focusing on the meaning of the holiday and saying to people ‘have a meaningful fast if you're fasting,’ or you could even say, 'have a good Yom Kippur,' but happy is probably not the right adjective.”
Marina Pitofsky contributed to this reporting
veryGood! (26)
Related
- 'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
- 'Never Have I Ever' is the show we wish we had in high school
- 20 Affordable Amazon Products That Will Make Traveling Less Stressful
- Dog rescued from Turkey earthquake rubble 3 weeks later as human death toll soars over 50,000
- SFO's new sensory room helps neurodivergent travelers fight flying jitters
- What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing and listening
- On International Women's Day, Afghan women blast the Taliban and say the world has neglected us completely
- Doc Todd, a rapper who helped other veterans feel 'Not Alone,' dies at 38
- Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow owns a $3 million Batmobile Tumbler
- Pat Sajak will retire from 'Wheel of Fortune' after more than 4 decades as host
Ranking
- The company planning a successor to Concorde makes its first supersonic test
- Jennifer Lawrence Steps Out in Daring Style at Awards Season Party on 10th Anniversary of Oscar Win
- 20 sharks found dead after killer whales' surgical feeding frenzy
- Why Royal Family Fanatics Have to Watch E!'s New Original Rom-Com
- Woman dies after Singapore family of 3 gets into accident in Taiwan
- Half of world on track to be overweight or obese by 2035, report says
- Celebrate Christina Applegate's SAG Awards Nomination With an Ode to Her Unforgettable Roles
- What we know about the 4 Americans kidnapped in Mexico
Recommendation
Jamie Foxx gets stitches after a glass is thrown at him during dinner in Beverly Hills
Nation's first 'drag laureate' kicks off Pride in San Francisco
In the horror spoof 'The Blackening,' it's survival of the Blackest
Three great songs for your next road trip
Most popular books of the week: See what topped USA TODAY's bestselling books list
Two new novels illustrate just how hard it is to find a foothold in America
'The Wind Knows My Name' is a reference and a refrain in the search for home
Emily King's heartbreak on 'Special Occasion'