Yom Kippur, known as the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish year. It is a day set aside for reflection, repentance, prayer, and asking forgiveness.
Unlike many Jewish holidays, Yom Kippur is not centered around a festive meal or celebration. Instead, it asks people to slow down and take an honest look at the year behind them. What could have been done differently? Who may have been hurt? What needs to be repaired? And what kind of person do you want to be in the year ahead?
Yom Kippur is traditionally observed through fasting and prayer, but the deeper purpose of the day goes beyond any single ritual. At its heart, it is about taking responsibility, making amends, and creating an opportunity for change.
Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah
Yom Kippur comes ten days after Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. According to HebCal, It’s one of the two High Holy Days, representing the culmination of the Ten Days of Repentance. or Aseret Yemei Teshuvah.
Rosh Hashanah begins the process of reflection. It is a time to think about the year that has passed and the year that is beginning. Yom Kippur brings that process to its most serious point.
The ten days in between create space to act on that reflection. In Jewish tradition, teshuvah is often translated as repentance, but the idea is broader than simply feeling sorry. It involves turning, returning, or changing direction. That can mean recognizing a mistake, asking someone for forgiveness, making a repair, or deciding to approach a situation differently.
That is why the period from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur is sometimes described as a journey. The point is not simply to feel guilty about the past. It is to consider what can be changed.
Why Do People Fast on Yom Kippur?
Fasting is one of the most recognizable Yom Kippur traditions. A traditional Yom Kippur fast lasts from before sunset on the evening the holiday begins until after nightfall the following day, roughly 25 hours. Those observing the traditional fast abstain from both food and drink.
The fast is meant to shift attention away from ordinary physical needs and toward prayer, reflection, and spiritual concerns. Yom Kippur also includes other traditional restrictions, including avoiding bathing for pleasure, wearing leather footwear, and applying certain lotions or oils. According to History, these prohibitions are intended to prevent worshippers from focusing on material possessions and superficial comforts.
Traditionally, healthy Jewish adults are expected to fast. Children generally do not fast, and there are important exceptions for people whose health could be harmed by fasting. Someone who is ill, pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or otherwise unsure whether fasting is safe should not put their health at risk. Jewish tradition places the preservation of life and health above the obligation to fast.
Because circumstances differ from person to person, questions about fasting can be discussed with a doctor and, for those who want guidance from Jewish tradition, a rabbi or other trusted Jewish authority.
For someone who does not fast, Yom Kippur can still be a meaningful day. Observance does not have to be reduced to whether someone was able to go without food or water. Reflection, making amends, prayer, learning, or simply setting aside time to think about the year can all be ways of engaging with the day.
What Happens in Synagogue on Yom Kippur?
For those who attend synagogue, Yom Kippur involves some of the most distinctive prayer services of the Jewish year.
The holiday begins with Kol Nidrei, a solemn evening service named for one of its best-known prayers. The following day includes several services, with much of the day devoted to prayer, confession, reflection, and asking for forgiveness.
One of the central themes of the Yom Kippur liturgy is teshuvah. Many prayers focus on acknowledging wrongdoing and asking for forgiveness, both for individual actions and for wrongs acknowledged collectively by the community.
The final service is called Ne’ilah, meaning “closing” or “locking.” It takes place as Yom Kippur draws to a close and is traditionally understood as the last opportunity of the day for prayer and spiritual reflection. The service ends with the sounding of the shofar, marking the close of Yom Kippur and the end of the High Holiday period.
Services can vary considerably between Jewish communities and denominations, so there is no single Yom Kippur experience that looks exactly the same everywhere.
What If You Don’t Fast or Go to Synagogue?
Not everyone observes Yom Kippur in the same way.
Some people spend nearly the entire day in synagogue. Others attend one service, pray at home, read, listen to Jewish music, spend time with family, or simply use the day as a quiet break from their normal routine. Some people fast, while others cannot or do not.
For someone who is not fasting or attending services, the central question can still be the same: What do I want to take responsibility for, and what do I want to change?
That might mean reaching out to someone you have wronged. It might mean acknowledging something you have been avoiding. It could mean thinking about how you treated the people around you, what you want to do differently, or what kind of year you hope to create.
Yom Kippur can also be a reminder that forgiveness has two sides. Jewish tradition places particular importance on repairing relationships with other people. Asking God for forgiveness does not replace apologizing to someone you have hurt or making a genuine effort to make things right.
You do not have to have a perfect relationship with Jewish tradition to find something meaningful in Yom Kippur. For some people, it is a deeply religious day. For others, it is a cultural or personal connection to Jewish life. For someone who has been disconnected from Judaism, it can simply be an invitation to pause and reflect.
A Day for Starting Again
Yom Kippur is serious, but its message is meant to be one of inspiration. The day assumes that people can change, relationships can be repaired, and mistakes do not have to define everything that comes after them.
That may be one reason Yom Kippur continues to resonate across generations and across different Jewish communities. Whether someone spends the day in synagogue, at home, fasting, praying, learning, or quietly reflecting, the underlying invitation is the same: look honestly at where you are, take responsibility for what needs attention, and consider where you want to go from here.
For more ways to learn, reflect, pray, and connect with Jewish life, explore Neshamah’s collection of Jewish learning, prayer, music, and other resources.
