Someone sent me this link, it's a short film (1,35 min.) displaying in fast movement the 35 hours of Yom Kippur (2006). It will give you an idea about the atmosphere:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdetCA_7ly8
We aren't done yet with the Holy Days - the next holiday coming is Sukkot (סוכות), or "the Feast of Tabernacles" or "the Feast of Booths"... At work, this time feels like jumping from one holiday to the next one, difficult to do serious work, many projects are postponed to "after the holidays" (אחרי החגים).
But we are done with the gloomy part, now we may rejoice!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur
יום כיפור
Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement or Repentance, is just about to begin this evening, Sunday 27th of September, at sundown, until tomorrow evening, Monday, when it becomes dark. Besides being the most holy of the Holy High Holidays for all Jews in the world, here in Israel it is in fact a very special day for all, even though for very different reasons.
Yom Kippur - version A
In the cities, the onset of Yom Kippur is quite spectacular and truly amazing: all shops, restaurants, cafes and businesses of any kind are closed down at least since early afternoon, broadcasting services included. The only people to stay in duty are soldiers, policemen and a few paramedics and physicians on emergency duty. The city turns silent, even the private homes. No more cooking, frying or baking, no loud music or TV, only kids shouting and rushing around. During late afternoon hours the car traffic starts to slow down more and more, until the last car disappears. As the streets become empty, around the official beginning time of Yom Kippur, hundreds of people walk out on the streets and swarms of bikers, old and young, take possession of the streets, the highways and the parking places. You may even see babies crawling on the asphalt nearby the traffic lights. To the accidental tourist, this is an unbelievable sight and an amazing experience.
For the children of secular Israelis (those who do not adhere to religious rules - about half of the Israeli Jewish population. For more details about this, see:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Israel), this is the day in the year when they feels on top of the world. No cars, except for police patrol cars cruising slowly and carefully through the indifferent crowd. All you can hear are children shouting and laughing and people chatting. This is the secular version of Yom Kippur, a true feast.
Yom Kippur - version B
For the observant Jew, Yom Kippur is something totally different: it is all about repentance, prayer and fasting. This is done within one's praying community in the synagogue. After days of repentance prayers (Slichot:: see http://www.yideotube.com/2009/09/berogez-eli-singing-at-selichot.html) and after taking the last meal ("se'uda mafseket") before the beginning of Yom Kippur, men go to temple and will stay there praying until late night, and they shall be back there next morning, for the whole day. Also women and young girls go to temple, mothers of young children will fast at home and stay with the children. Observant people typically wear straw slippers, as leatherwear is forbidden on Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur fasting included both eating and drinking; showers and bathes are also forbidden. I was told that lately there has been an intense discussion about the question whether it is all right to wear Crocs sandals on Yom Kippur or not; eventually some of the rabbis said that it's all right, others forbid it "because they are too cosy" and do not fit the spirit of Yom Kippur. (For more specific information on Yom Kippur, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom Kippur).
Yom Kippur - version C
Between those who celebrate their Yom Kippur holiday while driving the bike all over the country and between those who observe the ritual fast while praying all day long, there are many other people choosing various other options: some do fast, "because that's family tradition", but otherwise stay at home while resting or sorting out their photo albums; some 20.000 Israelis have chosen to travel abroad for a few days; hundreds are emptying the DVD-libraries, taking home piles of DVDs to watch in silence at their home during Yom Kippur; yet others spend the day like any holiday, walking to the sea, then going home and eating something (without cooking, to avoid cooking smells), then reading the newspapers or a book. Most people take great care not to create inconveniences to those who might be fasting - because among the secular, one never knows who is fasting and who is not. Some people, known as gentiles, will fast on Yom Kippur, but wish to keep it a secret. It is actually quite common among secular friends and colleagues to ask each other, before saying goodbye: "Are you fasting?". Many gentiles, in Israel, fear to see one of their fellow secular friends making the leap and moving over to the religious and observant part of society - "chazara betshuva". The more delicate ones avoid asking that sort of question, because they know that this is a very personal issue.
Whatever you will be doing on Yom Kippur, may you be written in the Book of Life!
יום כיפור
Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement or Repentance, is just about to begin this evening, Sunday 27th of September, at sundown, until tomorrow evening, Monday, when it becomes dark. Besides being the most holy of the Holy High Holidays for all Jews in the world, here in Israel it is in fact a very special day for all, even though for very different reasons.
Yom Kippur - version A
In the cities, the onset of Yom Kippur is quite spectacular and truly amazing: all shops, restaurants, cafes and businesses of any kind are closed down at least since early afternoon, broadcasting services included. The only people to stay in duty are soldiers, policemen and a few paramedics and physicians on emergency duty. The city turns silent, even the private homes. No more cooking, frying or baking, no loud music or TV, only kids shouting and rushing around. During late afternoon hours the car traffic starts to slow down more and more, until the last car disappears. As the streets become empty, around the official beginning time of Yom Kippur, hundreds of people walk out on the streets and swarms of bikers, old and young, take possession of the streets, the highways and the parking places. You may even see babies crawling on the asphalt nearby the traffic lights. To the accidental tourist, this is an unbelievable sight and an amazing experience.
For the children of secular Israelis (those who do not adhere to religious rules - about half of the Israeli Jewish population. For more details about this, see:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Israel), this is the day in the year when they feels on top of the world. No cars, except for police patrol cars cruising slowly and carefully through the indifferent crowd. All you can hear are children shouting and laughing and people chatting. This is the secular version of Yom Kippur, a true feast.
Yom Kippur - version B
For the observant Jew, Yom Kippur is something totally different: it is all about repentance, prayer and fasting. This is done within one's praying community in the synagogue. After days of repentance prayers (Slichot:: see http://www.yideotube.com/2009/09/berogez-eli-singing-at-selichot.html) and after taking the last meal ("se'uda mafseket") before the beginning of Yom Kippur, men go to temple and will stay there praying until late night, and they shall be back there next morning, for the whole day. Also women and young girls go to temple, mothers of young children will fast at home and stay with the children. Observant people typically wear straw slippers, as leatherwear is forbidden on Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur fasting included both eating and drinking; showers and bathes are also forbidden. I was told that lately there has been an intense discussion about the question whether it is all right to wear Crocs sandals on Yom Kippur or not; eventually some of the rabbis said that it's all right, others forbid it "because they are too cosy" and do not fit the spirit of Yom Kippur. (For more specific information on Yom Kippur, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yom Kippur).
Yom Kippur - version C
Between those who celebrate their Yom Kippur holiday while driving the bike all over the country and between those who observe the ritual fast while praying all day long, there are many other people choosing various other options: some do fast, "because that's family tradition", but otherwise stay at home while resting or sorting out their photo albums; some 20.000 Israelis have chosen to travel abroad for a few days; hundreds are emptying the DVD-libraries, taking home piles of DVDs to watch in silence at their home during Yom Kippur; yet others spend the day like any holiday, walking to the sea, then going home and eating something (without cooking, to avoid cooking smells), then reading the newspapers or a book. Most people take great care not to create inconveniences to those who might be fasting - because among the secular, one never knows who is fasting and who is not. Some people, known as gentiles, will fast on Yom Kippur, but wish to keep it a secret. It is actually quite common among secular friends and colleagues to ask each other, before saying goodbye: "Are you fasting?". Many gentiles, in Israel, fear to see one of their fellow secular friends making the leap and moving over to the religious and observant part of society - "chazara betshuva". The more delicate ones avoid asking that sort of question, because they know that this is a very personal issue.
Whatever you will be doing on Yom Kippur, may you be written in the Book of Life!
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