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Why do some Jews wear white on Yom Kippur?
At one time, it was customary for Reform rabbis and cantors to wear robes when leading worship.
Why do Jews fast on Yom Kippur?
The practice of fasting goes back to the biblical verse in Leviticus 26:27, which instructs the people of Israel to "afflict their souls" on Yom Kippur.
At what age do Jews start to participate in a fast on Yom Kippur? What if they are sick and not well enough to fast?
Typically, young people are expected to fast once they have become b’nei mitzvah, the age after which they are considered adults in the religious community.
Is Yom Kippur like confession?
Yom Kippur does have a confession service. Here's how it is and isn't similar to the Catholic practice of confession.
What Greetings are Appropriate on Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur?
Here are the appropriate greetings for the Jewish new year and the Day of Atonement.
Cry No More, a Prayer for Yom Kippur
This prayer is about having compassion for ourselves while repairing the damage we’ve done to self and others. I wrote it after my first Yom Kippur in Jerusalem, my first in Israel as an oleh chadash (a new immigrant).
An Alternate Un’taneh Tokef
Rabbi Joseph Meszler offers a new take on an old prayer for these Days of Awe.
Reform Jewish Leader Addresses Senate Press Conference on SCHIP
Namath: I ask you to join me in making a new year’s resolution. Let us resolve to do better for 10 million of our children. Let us provide them with the health care they deserve by covering them through SCHIP.
On the Way to an Answer: A Poem for the Shofar
Do not text me;
I will not notice,
And may ignore it
anyway.
How can one hundred and forty of
anything
compel me
to answer,
unless I merely seek
distraction
and not return?
Do not leave a message
Remembering Yom Kippurim Past
Last Yom Kippur afternoon, unable to concentrate because of the rumblings of my stomach – which I hoped only I could hear – my mind began to wander.