Yom Kippur Torah card

Yom Kippur is a day of fasting and repentance that culminates a ten day period of reflection marking the Jewish New Year.

Many Jews partake in a meal in the afternoon with friends and family, finishing all food and drink before 6 p.m., when the holiday fasting begins. The day of prayer that follows ends at 7 p.m. the next day.

This is when, according to the liturgy, the gates of heaven which opened for supplication on the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashanah, close again and the year begins.

Kol Nidre

Recited during Yom Kipper by the cantor in a synagogue and often accompanied by a cello, this a prayer that dates back hundreds of years. The prayer may have its origins in the days when Jews were forced to convert to other religions against their will, as it asks God’s forgiveness for “all vows” that were undertaken that cannot be kept. The prayer is written in Aramaic, a language spoken by the Hebrews after their defeat by the Babylonians starting in 586 years B.C.E.

Lunar Calendar

Because Judaism uses a lunar calendar, its festivals do not fall on regular days according to the Gregorian calendar used by most of the Western world. To compensate for "lost" days and to keep the calendar in tune with the seasons of nature, Judaism inserts a "leap month" or a second month of Adar every few years.

Wearing the Tallit

The tallit, also known as tallis, is a prayer shawl which has its four corners tied with strings in a biblically prescribed pattern called Tzitzit. During most Jewish Holidays, the tallit is expected to be worn during morning services only. Yom Kippur is an exception, when it is commonly also worn during evening services. Wearing white clothing is common during Yom Kippur, as it symbolizes purity.