Even if you aren't Jewish, it can be fun and educational to introduce new holidays, traditions, cultures, and experiences to your children. For child-appropriate explanations, videos, stories, crafts, recipes, and more, visit the Chabad Yom Kippur Kids Zone.
For adults, this holiday is a day of reflection, fasting, and prayer services. All Jewish holidays start at one hour before sunset on the evening before. On the day before Yom Kippur, many Jews are eating a lot of food to sustain them for the fasting day ahead of them. Additionally, specific traditions and rituals help prepare Jews for Yom Kippur.
THE FESTIVE MEAL
In the early afternoon, families get together for the pre-Yom Kippur meal. This is traditionally a festive holiday meal, replete with holiday foods, including round Challah. Although this is a festive meal, it is not a religious meal and no holiday blessings are said.
PARENTS BLESS THEIR CHIDREN
The day before Yom Kippur many Jews will take part in a ceremony where they bless their children. Parents will place their hands on their children’s heads and wish for them a good and meaningful year. Everyone who hears should say "Amen" and the blessing should be spoken slowly, loudly, and clearly so the child hears and feels the parents' love. Jews can even add their own blessings.
GIVE CHARITY
One of the traditions of the day before Yom Kippur is to give extra charity before the holiday.
MEMORIAL CANDLES ARE LIT
Some families light Yahrtzeit (memorial) candles to remember those who passed away. These special candles will burn through the night and the following day of the holiday and Fast Day.
HOLIDAY CANDLES ARE LIT & A BLESSING IS SAID AS THE FAST BEGINS
Just before sunset (before the beginning of Yom Kippur), women and girls light candles to welcome the holiday.
THE FAST
Once the candles are lit, adults fast — they don’t eat or drink. Many Jews dress in white because white symbolizes angels. The white inspires them to be as pure as an angel. In addition, many Jews do not wear leather shoes on this day. The reason is that leather shoes symbolize comfort, and limiting physical pleasure conveys a serious message of wanting to atone for any sins of the previous year.
THE PRAYERS
Kol Nidrei is the official name of the prayers that usher in Yom Kippur. In this service, Jews ask to be forgiven for any commitments that were made but not kept.
Yizkor is called the Memorial Service, where Jews remember their departed parents on Yom Kippur with the special Yizkor service during morning services.
Neila & Final Blowing of the Shofar occur at the very end of the Fast Day. The Shofar is blown on Rosh Hashanah as a wake-up call to start atoning for the mistakes of the previous year because the Day of Atonement is near. During the Yom Kippur service, all the people in the synagogue say this prayer and the Shofar is blown again.
As soon as Yom Kippur is over, Jews say Havdallah, which is a short prayer that marks the conclusion of the holiday and fast. Then they get to enjoy and eat a joyous feast. This can be done at home, or together with the community in the synagogue.
