Today (12/10/2024) marks the start of Yom Kippur.
Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) is one of the high holy days and the most sacred day in the Jewish calendar. It began on the evening of the 11 October, ten days after Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), and it continues for twenty-five hours. The days leading up to Yom Kippur are used for reflection and contemplation upon the previous year.
Traditionally, Jews fast during Yom Kippur. Some may also refrain from other physical pleasures such as bathing, using modern technology, and wearing leather shoes (which symbolise physical pleasures given their status as luxury items in ancient times). Yom Kippur is observed in many different ways around the world and some traditions include wearing white, which symbolises purity and renewal, and taking the day off work or school.
G’mar chatima tova from everyone at British Online Archives!