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Yom Kippur2028 Countdown
Friday, September 29, 2028
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About Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish year and the conclusion of the Ten Days of Repentance that begin with Rosh Hashanah. Observed with a full twenty-five-hour fast, it is a day devoted to prayer, reflection, and seeking forgiveness for wrongdoing during the past year. Synagogues hold services across nearly the entire day, including the evening Kol Nidre prayer that opens the observance and the concluding Neilah service as the gates of the day close. Many Jews who rarely attend synagogue otherwise take part, and in Israel the country itself slows almost completely as cars leave the roads. Traditional observances include abstaining from food and drink, wearing white as a symbol of purity, and avoiding work, washing, and other comforts as a sign of focus and humility.
History of Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur is grounded in the Hebrew Bible, where the tenth day of the seventh month is commanded as a day of self-denial and atonement, the one day each year when the High Priest entered the Holy of Holies in the Temple in Jerusalem. After the Temple's destruction, rabbinic Judaism transformed the day, moving its center from sacrifice to prayer, repentance, and confession, with the synagogue taking on the Temple's role. The Kol Nidre declaration, chanted at the start of the holiday, became one of the most emotionally resonant elements of Jewish liturgy, and distinctive musical modes came to define the day's services. Despite persecution and displacement, Jewish communities preserved the fast across the diaspora, and today it remains the most widely observed date on the Jewish calendar.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- When is Yom Kippur?
- Yom Kippur falls on the tenth day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, so the date changes each year on the Gregorian calendar because it is based on the religious calendar. The fast begins before sunset and lasts about twenty-five hours.
- Is Yom Kippur a public holiday?
- Yes, in Israel it is an official public holiday and the whole country largely pauses, with roads empty and businesses closed. Elsewhere it is a religious observance, with many people taking time off work or school.
- How do Jews observe Yom Kippur?
- Many fast for about twenty-five hours, attend synagogue services from the evening Kol Nidre prayer through the closing Neilah, refrain from work, and spend the day in prayer and reflection seeking forgiveness.
- Can you eat on Yom Kippur?
- Traditional observance requires abstaining from all food and drink for the duration of the fast, though those with medical needs, young children, and pregnant women are generally excused and should follow medical guidance.