# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Avinu Malkeinu with One Thousand Students

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Together with your children, watch the videos by Shalom Sesame to learn about saying "sorry". Then try some of the discussion ideas and activities below created by Reform Jewish educators to further extend the lessons learned in the videos. If you wish, share your experiences and ideas in the comments sections below!

Discuss: Saying Sorry

Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, gives us an entire day to focus on our behavior toward other people, the world, our inner selves, and God. During this time, we ask God's forgiveness. We also ask others to forgive us for any wrongs we have committed against them. We say "I'm sorry" and try to find ways to become better people in the New Year.

We pray, both as individuals and as a community, about the past year: Did we do our best? What can we try to do differently in the upcoming year? We promise to try harder to grow, strengthen and improve the quality of our lives and the progress of our world.

Because we are human, we are expected to make mistakes, so we need a structure within which to forgive, be forgiven and try again. This is a beautiful model for parents to recognize and use, for the good of all people.

Talk with your kids about what it means to own up when you make a mistake. Explain that even Jewish texts acknowledge that saying "sorry" (in Hebrew, " slicha") is not easily done.

Activities

Make a "Mirror of Reflection":

Purchase an inexpensive hand mirror at a craft store.

Give children various media (sponge pieces, sequins, beads, felt, etc.) with which to decorate the back and frame of the mirror.

Tell them to look in their mirror when they need to think about themselves and make decisions about how to act.

Share with your children the steps to t'shuvah (repentance) that Maimonides, a 12th-century sage, taught hundreds of years ago:

1. Cheshbon HaNefesh (accounting of the soul): When we take an accounting of the soul, we ask ourselves: "What have I done right and what have I done wrong this year?" Share your thoughts with someone or write your reflections in a journal.

2. Say you are sorry to those you have hurt or wronged during the past year.

3. Make a plan for how you will behave in similar circumstances in the future.

4. Through prayer, ask God to forgive you.

After watching the videos below, read with your children. Check out the book The Hardest Word: A Yom Kippur Story, by Jacqueline Jules, and illustrator Katherine Janus Kahn, which is part of the PJ Library collection.

Videos

Together with your children, watch these Yom Kippur-appropriate videos:
View more Shalom Sesame videos.
For more Shalom Sesame videos, activities, and other materials, visit our friends at Shalomsesame.org.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learn About Yom Kippur with Shalom Sesame: Saying Sorry

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A new way to explore the meaning of Yom Kippur with your family: watch these Shalom Sesame videos with your children to learn about the concept of saying sorry, and try some of the activities suggested by Reform Jewish educators.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This time of year, we hear again and again about how much emphasis Judaism places on the nuances of how to address harm of all kinds. I am convinced that the steps of repentance and repair outlined by the medieval Jewish philosopher Maimonides make sense not only in our individual lives when we harm our coworkers, friends, family, and intimate partners, but also in reference to the communal, cultural, and national levels.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Yom Kippur means "Day of Atonement" and refers to the annual Jewish observance of fasting, prayer, and repentance.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Valley Outreach Synagogue & Center for Jewish Life

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Avinu Malkeinu - Traditional Melody - Valley Outreach Synagogue

# data[].attributes.body
Chicken Soup Recipe For The Fast

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This chicken soup recipe has all the classic flavors but cooks more quickly than traditional chicken soups due to its simplified method. Learn how to make delicious, easy chicken soup in under two hours.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Jumpin' Jerusalem! Yom Kippur Video for Kids

# data[].attributes.body
What is yom kippur?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is Yom Kippur? The Holiest Day on the Jewish Calendar - Behind the News

# data[].attributes.body
Breaking the Fast - Recipe

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Easy Recipes for the Yom Kippur Break Fast. Break the fast with breakfast-style foods and make-ahead salads, simple and delicious.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Tradition teaches that on Rosh HaShanah the Book of Life is written, and on Yom Kippur our decree for the New Year is sealed. We are taught that by doing , and tzedakahtzedakah צְדָקָה From the Hebrew word for "justice," or "righteousness;" refers to charity or charitable giving. May also be translated as "righteous giving." ,we can temper that decree. As a result, much of the Yom Kippur liturgy and the rituals for all of the Yamim Nora-im ("Days of Awe") are aimed at achieving this goal. For example, one of the greetings for this day is " G'mar chatimah tovah, " "May you be sealed [in the Book of Life] for a good year ahead."

Yom Kippur is a day when we focus on our spiritual well-being, and setting our physical requirements aside helps us focus on that important work. Though there are five specific practices we abstain from on Yom Kippur (eating and drinking, wearing leather, bathing and shaving, anointing ourselves with oils or lotions, and having sexual relations), fasting (not eating or drinking) is the most familiar custom.

Fasting

Fasting originally was seen as fulfilling the biblical commandment to "practice self-denial." The Yom Kippur fast enables us, for at least one day each year, to ignore our physical desires, focusing instead on our spiritual needs. Throughout the day, we concentrate on prayer, repentance, and self-improvement before returning to our usual daily routine after the holiday.

Customarily, all people from age 13 must fast (in some communities, girls begin at age 12 and boys at age 13). The fast encompasses a full 24-hour period, beginning after the Erev Yom Kippur meal and extending to the following evening. During this time, no eating or drinking is permitted.

Judaism has a deep reverence for life, and though the Yom Kippur fast is of great importance, it is never allowed to jeopardize health. Those too ill to fast (or to fast fully) are prohibited from doing so. Those who need to take medication are allowed, as are pregnant women or women who have just given birth.

Rituals
Wearing White
Some Jews wear white on Yom Kippur. Because white is a symbol of purity and Yom Kippur is a day when we undertake a spiritual cleansing, it is an appropriate color for the occasion. Others interpret white as representative of the white shroud in which Jews are buried, symbolizing our mortality and reminding us of the need for humility and repentance.
Hearing the Shofar
Yom Kippur ends with a single, long blast of the . The stirring sound of the shofar at the conclusion of the holiday has many different explanations. One is that the practice recalls the giving of the at Mt. Sinai (when the shofar also was blown). Another is that the shofar signals the triumph of the Jewish community over its sins for another year.

In the Congregation

The heart of the Yom Kippur liturgical experience is congregational and communal worship. Yom Kippur, like Shabbat, is a day when one refrains from work. Leviticus 23:32 describes Yom Kippur as a Shabbat Shabbaton - a sabbath of complete rest. So it is seen as a to attend all the services on Yom Kippur, from Kol NidreKol Nidre כָּל נִדְרֵי "All Vows;" prayer recited on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar;in the evening, throughout the next day, ending with (concluding services) and the sounding of the shofar. A memorial service () is included on Yom Kippur, and is recited at the end of the day, following the sounding of the shofar. A joyous "break-the-fast" meal is served at the conclusion of services, either at the congregation or at home.

The Erev Yom Kippur service is called Kol Nidre, meaning "all vows," and refers to the special liturgical formulation chanted solely on Yom Kippur, during the evening service at the beginning of the holiday. It is a legal formula for the annulment of vows, which dates back many centuries. The practice of reciting Kol Nidre probably began in about the 9th century C.E. Recited in a mix of Hebrew and Aramaic, the vernacular language of the time, Kol Nidre cancels and annuls all unintended vows made to God during the previous year.

Customarily, Kol Nidre is repeated three times. In some congregations, these repetitions may include chanting, an instrumental rendition of the haunting melody played on a violin, viola, or cello, or even a spoken reading of the text. The threefold repetition most likely derives from the ancient practice of reciting all official proclamations three times. During Kol Nidre, the congregation stands together in silence, and in some congregations, the Torah scrolls are held by leaders of the community.

Customarily, in addition to Erev Yom Kippur, the entirety of the next day is spent in synagogue. The liturgy for the day of Yom Kippur includes powerful readings from the Torah, the core of Jewish teaching and practice, and Yizkor, a memorial service to remember our loved ones who have died and, perhaps, to draw from their memories the inspiration to be the best of what we can yet be.

The Days of Awe are about more than confessing our sins. They are an opportunity to envision what our lives and our communities could be like if we each become a little more caring with each passing year. On Yom Kippur morning, we read from the Torah portion entitled , in which we learn that meaningful Jewish lives are not too hard for us and not too far away - if we are willing to choose a life of caring for each other. We also recite the Al Cheit, a prayer that recounts our sins: gossip, arrogance, exploiting the weak, and all the other missteps we took during the year just ended. The High Holidays are a time for t'shuvah, which is usually understood to mean repentance. But t'shuvah is much more than repentance. Its literal meaning is "return" and, indeed, t'shuvah is a return forward to something holy inside us that hasn't yet reached fruition, a return to the goodness and the caring that could have been and can still be. T'shuvah is our search to find the potential for good and for holiness that has been within us all along but somehow became hidden in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

At Home

Beginning at sundown prior to Kol Nidre, it is customary to begin some of the ritual practices of Yom Kippur. Therefore, a family meal, known as se'udah mafseket (the concluding meal before the fast) customarily is eaten before sundown, with the candle lighting happening at the end of the meal. This process is a way to mark the entrance of Yom Kippur into the home and, with that blessing, the fast begins.

Tradition holds that acts of tzedakah are key to our observance of Yom Kippur. In many synagogues, a fundraising appeal coincides with the High Holidays. Many Jews make tzedakah a part of their Shabbat ritual, depositing a few dollars in a tzedakah box prior to the beginning of Shabbat. This practice can also be done as part of the ritual prior to the meal eaten before Kol Nidre. To make this custom even more special, the Days of Awe can be a time to tally the funds set aside each week during the prior year and determine to which causes they will be donated.

By reciting prayers in a synagogue on Yom Kippur, we atone for transgressions against God. For wrongs committed against other people, however, it has become customary to seek out friends and relatives whom we have wronged during the year and to ask their forgiveness before Yom Kippur begins. The holiday is a time when families should be at peace and gives us a yearly opportunity to put aside past hurts and create a new beginning.

It also is customary on Yom Kippur to perpetuate the memory of loved ones. To do so, many Jews visit the cemetery the day before Yom Kippur and kindle 24-hour candles in memory of loved ones who have died ( learn more about yahrzeit candles and other Jewish mourning rituals). Yahrzeit candles are lit prior to the lighting of the holiday candles. During the Middle Ages, this custom was seen as a means of atonement for the dead. Today, however, it is a beautiful expression of tribute and remembrance.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tradition teaches that on Rosh HaShanah the Book of Life is written, and on Yom Kippur our decree for the New Year is sealed. We are taught that by doing , and tzedakahtzedakah צְדָקָה From the Hebrew word for "justice," or "righteousness;" refers to charity or charitable giving.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
After a moment of joy and relief at the guilty verdicts in the murder of George Floyd, my overwhelming emotion is sorrow in my heart for a daughter without her father and a brother without his brother. This is a prayer for justice and healing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Really, Really Sorry: For Yom Kippur, the Sparks say SLICHA!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The afternoon service on the eve of Yom Kippur sets the tone for the prayers of Yom Kippur, in that the confession is said at the end of the (silent) amidah.

There are five services on Yom Kippur itself:

(a) Kol Nidrei and Ma'ariv
(b) Shacharit
(c) Mussaf
(d) Minchah
(e) Ne'ilah

The following are the main prayers special to Yom Kippur:

(a) Tefillah zakkah: A private prayer before Kol Nidrei, includes examination of one's conscience, Vidui and expression of remorse. The prayer concludes with a request to G-d to,
'create in me a pure mind and renew in me an eager spirit'.

(b) Kol Nidrei: This moving prayer, read by the leader is based on the Talmud (Nedarim 23b): 'Anyone who wants his vows throughout the year not to be binding, should stand up on Rosh Hashanah and say, "Any vow that I make in the future shall be invalid".' (The expression Rosh Hashanah is interpreted to mean Yom Kippur, as in Ezekiel 40:1)

Yom Kippur is a day of forgiveness and repentance, when a person must purify oneself from sins (To fear sin means: so that one fears sin itself more than one fears the punishment arising from it.) One cannot do this with vows on one's conscience, or possible vows, so one must first remove any problems that vows might cause - hence the relevance of Kol Nidrei . (Rabbi Mendel of Vitebsk)

(c) Ma'ariv: The Service resembles that of a regular festival, but with the following major additions:
1. The Sephardim begin with the two verses 'Vehu rahum', as on weekdays, which are otherwise omitted on Shabbat and festivals.

2. After the first verse of the Shema , the second verse, ' Baruch shem ...' is chanted aloud. Normally this is recited quietly, because this is the prayer of angels, into whose domain we do not wish to intrude, but on Yom Kippur we are all compared to angels.

3. Before the Amidah we recite the verse, 'For on this day...' (Leviticus 16:30)

4. The Amidah includes seven blessings, especially Hamelech hakadosh ; the Vidui is recited at the end.

5. After the Amidah various special Selichot are recited, often sung to traditional tunes, followed by a repetition of the Vidui; Avinu Malkenu (except on Shabbat) etc.

6. In different congregations, various additional prayers are said after the end of the service.

(d) Shacharit: The Amidah is similar to that of Rosh Hashanah. The theme of the piyyutim in the reader's repetition of the Amidah is G-d's rule over the entire world. The Amidah is followed by Avinu Malkenu (except on Shabbat). Two Sifrei Torah are taken out of the Aron Kodesh. The main Torah reading is Leviticus 16 , describing the special service performed in the Sanctuary by the High Priest on Yom Kippur. Six people are called to the reading (seven, as usual, if it is on Shabbat). The Maftir, as usual on a Festival, describes the additional sacrifices ( Numbers 29:12-16).
The Haftarah ( Isaiah 57:14 - 58:14) exhorts the people to repentance, followed by a change of behavior and good deeds.

(e) Yizkor (Memorial Prayers): These are said four times a year - on Yom Kippur, Shemini Atzeret, the last day of Pesach and the second day (in Israel, the first and only day) of Shavuot. In addition to prayers for departed relatives, "El Maleh Rahamim" is said for Jewish martyrs throughout the ages, for those who died in the Holocaust in particular, for soldiers in the Jewish underground and, later, in the Israeli army who died fighting to establish and defend the Jewish state.

(f) Mussaf: There are seven blessings in the Amidah as on Rosh Hashanah. [In the Yovel (jubilee year, temporarily suspended), when the Shofar is blown, nine blessings are said as on Rosh Hashanah.] The focus ofthe repetition of the Amidah is a full description of the Avodah , the special service conducted by the High Priest in the Temple. This section is particularly important.
Other outstanding 'additions' in the repetition include Unetanneh tokef (as on Rosh Hashanah), Aleinu (as on Rosh Hashanah) and Eileh ezkerah , the story of the Ten Martyrs.

(g) Minchah: This begins with a Torah reading (Leviticus 18), the section following on from the morning reading, which deals with some of the worst temptations a person is liable to face and to which one must not succumb. Three people are called to the Torah, the third then going on to read the Haftarah , which consists of the entire Book of Jonah. The story of Jonah carries the message that repentance is effective in avoiding punishment. The Amidah is similar to that of Ma'ariv and Shacharit ; it is followed by Avinu Malkenu (except on Shabbat), although some congregations do not say Avinu Malkenu at Minchah .

(h) Ne'ilah
This fifth service is unique to Yom Kippur. At this time of day the gates are about to close and be locked, and we pray to G-d to, 'Open the gates of Heaven to us at the time when gates are normally locked, because the day is closing' (i.e. give us a last chance). Wherever 'inscribing' is referred to in earlier prayers (i.e. inscribing the decree sentence in the book of judgement), it is replaced with a reference to 'sealing' (i.e. confirming). Two special prayers are included (Atah noten yad ; atah hivdalta). In the repetition, Selichot are said. After the Amidah, Avinu Malkenu is always said (even on Shabbat).
As the day closes, the following are recited aloud:
- The first line of the Shema (once);
- Baruch shem ...(three times);
- Hashem hu ... (seven times);
- Many congregations sing, 'Next year in rebuilt Jerusalem' at this point.
Finally the reader says the Kaddish titkabal.
The end of the fast is marked by sounding one long note ( Tekiah ) on the Shofar (as a reminder of the Shofar blown on the Yovel (jubilee year) on Yom Kippur - Leviticus 25:9), after the congregation sing, 'Next year in rebuilt Jerusalem!'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Yom Kippur Prayers | The Jewish Agency - U.S.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The afternoon service on the eve of Yom Kippur sets the tone for the prayers of Yom Kippur, in that the confession is said at the end of the (silent) amidah.