Yom Kippur Begins at Sunset Tonight; Carleton Set to Observe

Members of the Jewish community at Carleton College are set to observe Yom Kippur with the Kol Nidre service tonight.

Services will be led by Rabbi Shosh Dworsky, Carleton associate chaplain, along with the participation of students and community members. All services and observances are free and open to the public.

Yom Kippur observances begin with a pre-fast meal in the Great Hall at 5:30 p.m., on Tuesday, Sept. 25, followed by the Kol Nidre service at 6:30 p.m. Services continue at 10 a.m. and again at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 26, when the shofar—a traditional, trumpet-like instrument made from a ram’s horn—will be sounded. A dinner to break the fast will follow the final service.

Yom Kippur, also referred to as the Day of Atonement, is considered the holiest day of the year by Jews, for whom it represents the day on which to repent for all the sins of the past year. Yom Kippur is seen as a time to ask forgiveness of those hurt in the past year and to begin anew. One of the most important and somber holidays of the Jewish year, Yom Kippur is observed through attendance at services characterized by prayers of penitence. Healthy adults traditionally fast from sundown to sundown.

These events are sponsored by the Office of the Chaplain and the Jewish Students of Carleton (JSC). The Severance Great Hall, where all services will be held, is located on College Street on the Carleton campus. For further information or disability accommodations, call (507) 222-4003 or email jtruax@carleton.edu. It is requested that those wishing to attend the holiday meals RSVP at jtruax@carleton.edu.

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Here are five things you should know about Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement holiday that begins on Tuesday evening and concludes 25 hours later on Wednesday night.

Calendar

Yom Kippur is the most solemn and holiest day on the Jewish calendar. It is also known as the “Sabbath of Sabbaths” because of its magnitude. In fact, it is such an important holiday that it can even occur on the Jewish Sabbath (as it does this year), making it the only time that fasting is allowed on the Sabbath. This Day of Atonement occurs on the tenth day of the first month of the Jewish calendar, rounding out the Days of Awe from Rosh Hashanah. Due to its popularity, you’ll notice local synagogue parking lots at full capacity on Yom Kippur, although many observant members of the Jewish faith do not drive on this day and therefore walk to and from the synagogue instead. Several school districts do not hold classes on Yom Kippur, but this year’s occurrence on a Saturday does not make that necessary.

Fasting

The abstaining from eating and drinking for the duration of this 25-hour holiday is well known. The other restrictions on Yom Kippur include the forbiddance of showering or bathing, sexual activity, using perfumes or colognes, and wearing leather shoes (a luxury in previous generations). The fasting is a way to create a sense of spirituality and to refrain from giving in to our impulses. The fast begins at sundown after a large meal and concludes 25 hours later with a traditional “break the fast” meal, which often includes dairy products and fish.

Customs

There are many customs on Yom Kippur including special attire and traditional food items for the meals before and after the fast. Dressing appropriately at synagogue is important as Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year, but modesty should also be a focus. It is traditional to wear white as a symbol of purity on the holiday and some will wear a white robe, called a kittel. It is common to see various forms of non-leather shoes being worn during the holiday, such as canvas sneakers and Crocs, due to the restriction on leather shoes. Historically, the end of Yom Kippur was a time for young singles to meet each other.

Greetings

There are many greetings that can be offered on Yom Kippur. The most common greetings areGmar Chatimah Tovah (May you be sealed in the Book of Life for a good year) and L’Shanah Tovah(To a good year) in Hebrew. Individuals will also wish each other to have an “easy fast,” although an increasingly common greeting is to have a “meaningful fast.”

Prayer

The prayer book used on Yom Kippur is called a machzor, meaning a "cycle" because the calendar repeats its cycle each year. The opening prayer of the holiday is the famous Kol Nidrei service. Technically, it is a legal formula that is recited and not a formal prayer. Its roots are in the medieval period and its beautiful musical accompaniment make it well known worldwide. The final prayer for Yom Kippur, called Ne'ilah, is unique to the holiday. Its name means "closing" in Hebrew and refers to the proverbial closing of the gates of repentance. After the holiday, a brief ceremony called Havdalah (separation) is recited before the fast is broken.