Yom Kippur, considered to the most important holiday in the Jewish faith, this year runs from sunset on Sept. 29 through nightfall on Sept. 30.
Yom Kippur, meaning “Day of Atonement,” marks the culmination of the 10 Days of Awe, a period of introspection and repentance that follows Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. Both are part of Judaism’s “High Holy Days.”
Yom Kippur is observed with a 25-hour fast and a special religious service.
Observance: The Torah (Jewish bible) commands all Jewish adults (apart from the sick, the elderly and women who have just given birth) to abstain from eating and drinking between sundown on the evening before Yom Kippur and nightfall the following day. The fast is believed to cleanse the body and spirit, not to serve as a punishment. Religious Jews observe additional restrictions on bathing, washing, using cosmetics and wearing leather shoes. The prohibitions are intended to prevent worshippers from focusing on material possessions and superficial comforts.
History: According to tradition, the first Yom Kippur took place after the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt and arrival at Mount Sinai, where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. Descending from the mountain, Moses caught his people worshipping a golden calf and shattered the sacred tablets in anger. Because the Israelites atoned for their idolatry, God forgave their sins and offered Moses a second set of tablets. Jewish texts recount that during biblical times, Yom Kippur was the only day on which the high priest could enter the inner sanctum of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, and made atonement and asked for God’s forgiveness on behalf of all the people of Israel. The tradition is said to have continued until the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 A.D.; it was then adapted into a service for rabbis and their congregations in individual synagogues.
Traditions and symbols of Yom Kippur:
- Pre-Yom Kippur feast: On the eve of Yom Kippur, families and friends gather for a bountiful feast that must be finished before sunset. The idea is to generate strength for 25 hours of fasting.
- Breaking of the fast: After the final Yom Kippur service, many people return home for a festive meal. It traditionally consists of breakfast-like comfort foods such as blintzes (pancakes), noodle pudding and various baked goods.
- Wearing white: It is customary for religious Jews to dress in white — a symbol of purity — on Yom Kippur. Some married men wear kittels — white burial shrouds — to signify repentance.
- Charity: Some Jews make donations or volunteer their time in the days leading up to Yom Kippur. This is seen as a way to atone and seek God’s forgiveness. One ancient custom known as kapparot involves swinging a live chicken or bundle of coins over one’s head while reciting a prayer. The chicken or money is then given to the poor.
Local Yom Kippur services:
Where: Congregation Kol Ami, 3919 Moran Road, Tampa
Services:
Sept. 29: Kol Nidre at 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 30: Shacharit/Yizkor at 9 a.m.; Rabbi’s Teaching at 4:15 p.m.; Mincha at 6 p.m.; Neilah at 7 p.m.; Havdallah at 8 p.m.; and Break the Fast at 8:15 p.m.
For information, call (813) 962-6338, or visit KolAmi.org.
Where: Congregation Mekor Shalom, 14005A N. Dale Mabry Highway
Services:
Sept. 29: Erev Shabbat at 6: 30 p.m.; Kol Nidre at 6:45 p.m.
Sept. 30: Yom Kippur at 9 a.m.; and, Minha, Ma’ariv, Neilah & Shofar Blast at 5:30 p.m.
For information, call (813) 963-1818, or visit MekorShalom.org.
Where: Congregation Beth Am, 2030 W. Fletcher Ave.
Services:
Sept. 29: Kol Nidre at 8 p.m.
Sept. 30: Yom Kippur morning service at 10 a.m.; Junior Congregation at 11:30 a.m.; Children’s Service at 2 p.m.; Discussion Group at 3 p.m.; Yom Kippur afternoon, Yizkor, N’eila Final Shofar at 4:30 p.m.
For information, call (813) 968-8511, or visit BethAmTampa.org.
Where: Chabad at Wiregrass, 2124 Ashley Oaks Circle in Wesley Chapel
Services:
Sept. 29: Kol Nidre at 6:45 p.m.
Sept. 30: Yom Kippur morning service at 10 a.m.; Yizkor Memorial Service at 12 p.m.; Afternoon & Neilah Closing Service at 5:45 p.m., and Shofar Blast at 7:51 p.m.
For information, call (813) 642-3244, or visit ChabadAtWiregrass.com.
Published September 27, 2017
