FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 13, 2018 • JEWISH NEW YEAR • THE QUEENS COURIER 57
Jewish New Year
Marking Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement
BY EMMA MILLER
up to it are oft en associated with charity
the temple. Th e priest would make sacrifi
work, giving to the poor and making
ces for the sins of the Israelites. When
Th e traditional Jewish holiday of
amends with people.
the Romans destroyed the temple in A.D.
Yom Kippur will begin at sundown on
Yom Kippur was started to remember
70, this celebration moved to individual
Tuesday, Sept. 18, and end at sundown on
God’s forgiveness. According to Jewish
congregations.
Wednesday, Sept. 19.
tradition, the high holy day originated
Today, Jews who celebrate Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur, also called the Day of
when the Israelites were waiting for
oft en wear white, which symbolizes purity.
Atonement, is celebrated with a 25-hour
Moses to bring the Ten Commandments
Th e celebration starts with a big meal
fast and a day of prayer services in the
down from Mount Sinai. As noted in
the evening before sundown on Yom
synagogue. It marks the end of the Ten
the Bible, the Israelites grew impatient
Kippur, as this is when the fast begins.
Days of Awe that follow Rosh Hashanah,
and made a golden calf to worship.
According to HowStuff Works, the fi rst
the Jewish New Year.
When Moses returned, he was so distressed
service of Yom Kippur starts just before
According to Jewish tradition, these 10
about the people’s idolatry that he
sunset and is called Kol Nidrei, which
days are traditionally when God decides
smashed the tablets on the ground. Th e
means all vows. Jews recite a prayer from
each person’s fate. God either writes their
Israelites repented, and God forgave their
the machzor, a prayer book used during
name in the Book of Life or condemns
sin and gave Moses new tablets with the
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, that
them to death on Rosh Hashanah. Th ose
commandments.
relieves them from vows they made to
who are left in the middle have these days
Yom Kippur was the only day of the
God that they were not able to complete
for teshuvah, or repentance. Because of
year that the high priest could enter the
in the past year.
this, Yom Kippur and the days that lead
Holy of Holies, the most sacred part of
Th e second and third services, Shacharit
and Musaf, are the next morning. Th e
Torah is read at these events. Th e fourth
service, Mincha, is in the aft ernoon. Th ere
are readings from the Torah as well as the
book of Jonah.
Neilah is the fi ft h and fi nal service. It
ends with a blast from a shofar, a horn
made from a ram’s horn, that marks the
end of the fast. As the trumpet sounds, the
people say L’shanah habaah bi’Yerushalayim,
which means “Next year in
Jerusalem.”
Aft er the fi nal service, Jews go home to
break the fast with a large meal that usually
includes traditional food like blintzes,
noodle pudding and baked goods.
Yom Kippur is considered the Sabbath
of Sabbaths — the most important and
sacred Jewish holiday.
Sources: history.com