Preserve the memory of your loved one with a plaque on our Yahrzeit Wall. Learn More ->

Search
Close this search box.

Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, falls ten days after Rosh Hashanah. When the Temple stood in Jerusalem, the High Priest effected atonement for the entire people through an elaborate ritual. Today, in the absence of the Temple, each of us stands, alone, together, naked as it were, before God. Yom Kippur is the dramatic culmination of the entire season of teshuvah, repentance. On Yom Kippur, Jews abstain from eating, drinking, bathing, sexual relations, and the wearing of leather (a sign of luxury) for 25 hours. Jews dress in white and traditionally spend most of the day in synagogue.

Latest Rituals

A poem expressing the intensity of our journey through the Jewish calendar, from Tisha b’Av through Simchat Torah

tall trees along either side of a wooden bridge

In this video, learn the fundamentals of how to blow the shofar from Paul Root Wolpe, Ph.D.

a person blowing a shofar with eyes closed

Learn to chant the high holiday liturgy

woman sings and man signs torah blessings

A memorial service for the prophet Jonah

a ship sails into the sunset

A prayer to be said when a parent feels tried by the job of parenting

mother_child_street_istock

A Yom Kippur prayer that mourns those lost in the Holocaust

black and white photo of gate of a jewish cemetery with jewish star

A variety of candle lighting blessings, traditional and modern, for holidays

illustration of a person closing their eyes and holding their hands toward their face above Shabbat candles

A possible comfort for one who shouldn’t fast due to health

RRC-RW-0305

Some find the Yom Kippur liturgy, with its litany of sins, onerous, particularly for women. This text serves as a counterpoint to the traditional Al Het (confession) affirming our goodness alongside our sins.

a person stands in water with their arms raised toward the sky

A prayer based on traditional texts but which addresses God in feminine and gender-neutral imagery

a starry twilight sky

The Reconstructionist Network

Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement

Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis

Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues

Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives

Join the Ritualwell community to explore rituals that will bring a sense of sacred awareness to your Thanksgiving table and into your everyday life!

Jewish practices provide us with valuable frameworks to foster awareness and joy through gratitude.

Get the latest from Ritualwell

Subscribe for the latest rituals, online learning opportunities, and unique Judaica finds from our store.

The Reconstructionist Network