Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is one of the high holidays in Judaism and one of the holiest days of the year. Beginning on the date of Tishrei 9, Jews around the world observe the holiday for almost 26 hours. Jews abstain from all food and drink (excluding those who are pregnant or have health problems), do not wash or wear perfume, do not wear leather and do not engage in marital relations. The day is steeped in prayer and introspection, though is also a day of great joy, since it is a day when sins between man and God are absolved.

Israel needs to regain the confidence to pre-emptively strike threats - comment

In 1967, Israel preempted when its neighbors wanted to destroy it. In 2025, the threat is still there. The Israeli mindset in response should be the same.

 AN IDF soldier walks along the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip last month. The writer asks: Is Israel struggling to show the same self-confidence in Gaza that it is willing to show in the skies over Iran?
 PRESIDENT ISAAC HERZOG addresses a state ceremony at Yad Vashem marking Holocaust Remembrance Day last year.

Entering the Jewish season of modern remembrance - opinion

 Yom Kippur War: Israeli infantry battles in the Golan Heights, October 1973.

Only the dead see the end: Reflection on the devastation of war - opinion

 A visitor holds an Egyptian weapon at the Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX), showcasing military systems and hardware, in Cairo, Egypt, December 7, 2023.

Ex-Israeli intel officer: Egypt is building emergency wartime warehouses


IKAR Rabbi jokes that Jews could learn from Cory Booker's record-breaking senate speech - opinion

The physical feat is impressive, but it’s not the point. We’d do well to consider why Sen. Booker felt such prophetic urgency in issuing this call in this moment.

Senator Cory Booker delivers a prayer at IKAR in Los Angeles on Oct. 12, 2024.

Thousands attend Sigd holiday event in Jerusalem

At the center of the Sigd holiday is the acceptance of the Torah by the Beta Israel Jews of Ethiopia.  

 Ethiopian Jews mark the Sigd holiday in Jerusalem. November 28, 2024.

This Yom Kippur, I prayed with all my might - opinion

Encountering a transformative Yom Kippur, and finding meaning in prayer amid war and grief.

 ON A STREET in Jerusalem, Hersh Goldberg-Polin is depicted in a mural created by friends. When we learned of Yahya Sinwar’s demise mere days after Yom Kippur, I couldn’t help but think that our prayers had something to do with it; maybe it was even thanks to Hersh, says the writer.

Why did Israel name its operation against Iran 'Days of Repentance?' - explainer

Operation Days of Repentance: Israel’s symbolic strikes invoke themes of reflection, defense, and historical resolve.

 A general view of Tehran after several explosions were heard, in Tehran, Iran, October 26, 2024.

Following up on our Yom Kippur prayers – opinion

We need to remember the commitments we made on Yom Kippur every day, not just during the confessional.

 Masses gather at the Western Wall last week, during the days leading up to Yom Kippur. The prayers we recited and the commitments we made on Yom Kippur are lacking in value without follow-up, the writer asserts.

After bomb threat interrupted Kol Nidre, this congregation kept praying on Manhattan street

Immediately after the call came in, the synagogue security guard alerted the congregants, prompting 400 people to exit the building.

 The Town and Village Synagogue in New York's East Village.

Yom Kippur, ‘sinat hinam,’ and Israel's failed leadership - opinion

As the year progressed, I began to view the events of Yom Kippur 2023 through a different lens. I now believe that the threat facing the Jewish people is more insidious than internal division alone.

 An illustrative image of people breaking their fast after Yom Kippur.

1700 people join Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto for Yom Kippur prayers in Jerusalem

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Yom Kippur reflections: Atonement in a post-October 7 Israel - opinion

Reflections on Yom Kippur, accountability, and Israel's leadership failures following the October 7 attacks and ongoing conflict.

 Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur act as an anchor for the Jewish people.

Historic Prague synagogue used on Yom Kippur for the first time since the Holocaust

The Klausen Synagogue in Prague held its first Jewish service since WWII, symbolizing a resurgence of Jewish life in the city.

 Klausen Synagogue in Prague, November 2016.

Paul McCartney spotted attending Yom Kippur prayers in Chile

While McCartney himself is not Jewish, the former Beatles star in the photo could be seen donning a kippa and standing next to his Jewish wife, Nancy Shevell, at the service. 

 Paul McCartney seen with his wife attending Yom Kippur prayer services in Chile synagogue on Saturday October 12, 2024