Skip to content
Holidays
Candle Lighting Times
Shabbat
High Holiday Reader 5785: Not A Mahzor
High Holidays
Sukkot
Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah
More Holidays >>
Every Day
Blessings
Daily Living
Home
Kashrut
Prayer
Ritual and Prayer Items
Spirituality
Tzedakah
Living
Climate and Environment
Health
Jewish Identity and Pride
LGBTQ+
Lifecycles
Social Justice
Travel
Learning
Tanakh
Torah (The Five Books)
Neviim (Prophets)
Tanakh Yomi
Conservative Judaism
Halakhah
Inclusion
Mitzvot
Community
Make Connections
EJ Writers Fellowship
Ask a Rabbi
About
About Us
Our Team
Authors
Pitch a Piece
Feedback
Exploring Judaism Blog
Search
Donate
Search
Search
Close this search box.
Category: Yom Kippur
Considerations for Yom Kippur During or Immediately Following a Hurricane
What to do on Yom Kippur during/after a hurricane. In all matters of Jewish law, the preservation of human life is of primary concern. Period.
Rabbinical Assembly
,
Exploring Judaism
October 9, 2024
Holidays
Yom Kippur
How should I eat on Yom Kippur if I cannot fast?
What should I do if I need to eat on Yom Kippur? How can I honor the spirit of the day while providing my body ...
Benjy Behrman
October 8, 2024
Food
Holidays
The American Altar
A poetic commentary and reflection on A Racial Justice Vidui/Confessional for 5785/2024's High Holiday Season.
Rabbi-Cantor Michael McCloskey
,
Social Justice Commission
October 8, 2024
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur in Synagogue
A Racial Justice Vidui/Confessional
We offer this contemporary “Ashamnu,” confession, for this moment. Some of the sins are ours, others are part of society's complex systems.
Rabbi-Cantor Michael McCloskey
September 23, 2024
High Holidays
Holidays
Promoting Isaiah On Yom Kippur
Engaging with Operation Isaiah is a demand to eliminate the scourge of hunger. May we see the day when healthy food is available to all.
Rabbi Daniel J. Isaak
,
Social Justice Commission
September 23, 2024
Food
High Holidays
Social Justice Commission High Holiday Reader 5785
Our tradition teaches: the sound of the shofar can literally break down the walls, both physical and spiritual. It can shatter complacency and indifference.
Social Justice Commission
September 23, 2024
High Holidays
Holidays
The Danger of the Divine
Yom Kippur is a reminder about yirah, about awe. God is here, powerful, and dangerous. The best response to that is a sense of yirah.
Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffet
September 20, 2024
High Holidays
Holidays
Balance Espiritual y Arrepentimiento
Fasting, praying, and ancient rituals invite and inspire us to begin Ḥeshbon Hanefesh and perform sincere Teshuvah.
Rabbina Judy Nowominski
September 20, 2024
High Holidays
Holidays
Spiritual Balance and Teshuvah
Fasting, praying, and ancient rituals invite and inspire us to begin Ḥeshbon Hanefesh and perform sincere Teshuvah.
Rabbina Judy Nowominski
,
Rabbi Leandro Galanternik
September 20, 2024
High Holidays
Holidays
7 Things To Do During The Yom Kippur Prayers
Yom Kippur is 25 hours of fasting, hundreds of prayers, and thousands of words. Here are 7 things you can do to make it more ...
Rabbi Josh Weiner
September 19, 2024
High Holidays
Holidays
How to Prevent High Holiday Burnout
The delicate balancing act of celebrating and observing the High Holidays can be mixed with a bit of overwhelm. Here's what you can do.
Rabbi Amy Grossblatt Pessah
September 17, 2024
High Holidays
Holidays
The Power of Memory-Making
Memory-making, the way we tell ourselves our story, the way we frame our history, offers the opportunity to give us power and, ultimately, hope.
Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal
September 17, 2024
High Holidays
Holidays
High Holiday Reader 5785: Not A Mahzor
Exploring Judaism's 2024 (5785) High Holiday Reader, Not A Machzor, includes essays to inspire a meaningful Holiday season.
Exploring Judaism
September 13, 2024
High Holidays
Holidays
How To Get Religious Accommodations At Work
Want to know your rights as a Jew in the workplace? Need religious accommodations? Find out what your rights are and how to exercise them.
Andrew J. Horowitz, Partner at Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP
September 9, 2024
Elul
Government
Listener of Prayer
"Listener of Prayer" is an important phrase in many of our blessings and prayers. Learn more about why that is.
Rabbi Alex Hamilton
July 3, 2024
Amidah
Every Day
Doing Teshuvah Outside of Communal Prayers
This teshuvah, written at a time when gathering was not possible, explores doing teshuvah outside of communal prayers.
Reena Bromberg Gaber
February 5, 2024
Elul
Holidays
How to Forgive (Kol Nidrei)
When the time of Yom Kippur is upon us, we talk a lot about forgiveness. Saying "sorry" is easy—how do we forgive?
Rabbi Sarah Freidson
November 5, 2023
High Holidays
Holidays
Non-Fasting Sh”tz on Yom Kippur
When should we use a non-fasting sh"tz on Yom Kippur? This CJLS teshuvah, originally written by Rabbi Gail Labovitz, explains.
Reena Bromberg Gaber
September 28, 2023
CJLS
Halakhah
Remembering Our Loved Ones Before Us
When our loved ones die, who remembers those they remembered? Here's a way to remember all of those that came before us.
Rabbi Miriam T. Spitzer
September 21, 2023
Death and Dying
Family
The Discomfort of Yom Kippur
As we discuss our traditions and requirements on Yom Kippur, we encounter discomforts that allow us to think about the past year.
Hazzan Sara Geffen Geller
September 7, 2023
High Holidays
Holidays
Celebrating the High Holy Days From Home
Celebrating the high holy days from home gives us ample opportunity to bring the sacred even further into our lives.
Rabbi Sydni Adler Rubinstein
August 13, 2023
Elul
High Holidays
Fasting While Ill
It is considered forbidden to fast on fast days if injurious to one’s health, for the sake of performing positive commandments.
Rabbi Carl Astor
,
The Observant Life (Book)
May 10, 2023
Fasting on Tisha B'av
Health
Ne’ilah
Ne’ilah is an additional service, recited only at the conclusion of Yom Kippur. It signifies the sealing of the Book of Life.
Rabbi Alan Lucas
,
The Observant Life (Book)
October 4, 2022
High Holidays
Holidays
Minḥah on Yom Kippur
Minhah, the Afternoon Service, begins with the Torah service, including selections from Leviticus and the haftarah on the Book of Jonah.
Rabbi Alan Lucas
,
The Observant Life (Book)
October 4, 2022
High Holidays
Holidays
Yom Kippur Musaf Service
The Yom Kippur Musaf Service includes two services: the Avodah service and the Martyrology service. Musaf follows Yizkor and Torah reading.
Rabbi Alan Lucas
,
The Observant Life (Book)
October 4, 2022
High Holidays
Holidays
Yom Kippur Candle Lighting
Following the Yom Kippur meal, candles are lit in a similar fashion to those lit on Rosh Hashanah. A Yizkor candle is also lit.
Rabbi Alan Lucas
,
The Observant Life (Book)
October 3, 2022
High Holidays
Holidays
Yom Kippur Evening Service
Maariv, the evening service, following Kol Nidrei on Erev Yom Kippur, is similar in many ways to daily Maariv but has notable differences.
Rabbi Alan Lucas
,
The Observant Life (Book)
October 3, 2022
High Holidays
Holidays
Yom Kippur Morning Services
The Yom Kippur morning service is similar to Rosh Hashanah, with the exception of the Amidah and the selections for the Torah service.
Rabbi Alan Lucas
,
The Observant Life (Book)
October 3, 2022
High Holidays
Holidays
Erev Yom Kippur and the Customs Preceding It
Preparations on Erev Yom Kippur are intrinsic to the awe-inspiring observance of the day: a special meal, candle lighting, and charity.
Rabbi Alan Lucas
,
The Observant Life (Book)
October 3, 2022
High Holidays
Holidays
Kol Nidrei and Being Imperfect Together
Yom Kippur begins with the dramatic Kol Nidrei service, intended to annul vows made between yourself and God.
Rabbi Alan Lucas
,
The Observant Life (Book)
October 3, 2022
High Holidays
Holidays
Yom Kippur Yizkor Service
The Memorial Service, Yizkor, is recited on Yom Kippur, one of four times throughout the year, to remember loved ones and Jewish martyrs.
Rabbi Alan Lucas
,
The Observant Life (Book)
October 3, 2022
High Holidays
Holidays
Navigating Yom Kippur with Toddlers and Young Children
Yom Kippur with young children can be a challenge. Here are some tips for making the holiday meaningful for them and for you.
Rabbi Rebecca Rosenthal
September 22, 2022
High Holidays
Holidays
Why Do We Read Jonah On Yom Kippur?
With lessons on failure, the value of admitting our mistakes, and allowing ourselves and others to apologize, the Book of Jonah has much to teach ...
Rabbi Allan Berkowitz
September 22, 2022
High Holidays
Holidays
Are There Only Ten Days of Repentance Each Year?
Teshuvah in the 10 days of Repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are sacred days, but what about the days before and beyond those?
Risa Finkelstein Sugarman
September 19, 2022
High Holidays
Holidays
5 Myths about T’shuvah
Five myths that we tell ourselves about t'shuvah that keep us from doing it skillfully or doing it at all.
Rabbi Kerry Chaplin
September 19, 2022
Elul
High Holidays
Dress to Impress Yourself…Into the Book of Life
Sara Beth Berman teaches us: Everything you need to know about clothing the body that holds your precious soul for the High Holidays.
Sara Beth Berman (she/her)
September 19, 2022
Clothing
High Holidays
What to Read to Prepare for the High Holidays this Year
Rabbi Mordechai Rackover recommends these reads to help you prepare for the themes, liturgy, and spirit of the High Holidays.
Rabbi Mordechai Rackover
September 16, 2022
Elul
High Holidays
Could The Terminator Do Teshuvah?
Rabbi Dan Ornstein teaches us: human freedom is ineradicable and that our dignity is predicated upon our moral responsibility.
Rabbi Dan Ornstein
September 16, 2022
High Holidays
Holidays
Why Do We Ask for Forgiveness in Elul?
Asking for forgiveness not only cultivates empathy and humility, but it provides an opportunity for renewal.
Emily Jaeger
September 7, 2022
Elul
High Holidays
The Days Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur
The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are known as the Ten Days of Repentance and include the Fast of Gedaliah.
The Observant Life (Book)
,
Rabbi Alan Lucas
September 7, 2022
High Holidays
Holidays