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Yom Kippur
The Day of Atonement — the holiest day in the Jewish year.
📅 October 1🌙 Lunar calendar
✦ Why It Matters
Yom Kippur is the day of communal and individual atonement, when Jews seek forgiveness from God and from one another for the wrongs of the past year. It is believed to be the day God seals the Book of Life for the coming year.
✦ How It Is Observed
25-hour fast, synagogue services including Kol Nidre, prayer for the dead (Yizkor), white clothing, no leather shoes, no bathing or cosmetics. The day ends with a final shofar blast.
✦ Sacred Text
“For on this day atonement will be made for you, to cleanse you. Then, before the LORD, you will be clean from all your sins.”
— Leviticus 16:30 ↗
Note on dates: This holiday follows a lunar or lunisolar calendar. The date shown is approximate for 2025–2026. Exact dates may vary by one or two days depending on moon sighting and regional tradition. Always confirm with your local community.