Interesting Stuff about Yom Kippur

By Linda Haywood • October 8, 2008

Yom Kippur begins at sundown today. It is the Jewish day of repentance and atonement. Jews will have two festive meals today and then spend tomorrow in penitance and fasting. There are five traditional prohibitions during this time:

Eating and drinking
Wearing leather shoes
Bathing/washing
Anointing oneself with perfumes or lotions
Sexual relations

Most secular Jews - who are Jewish by ethnicity rather than faith - observe Yom Kippur and may even attend synangogue (much in the same way that many secular Christians attend the Christingle service at Christmas time).

In Israel, Yom Kippur is observed as a national holiday with many people staying at home. It is considered improper to be seen eating in public or driving a car during the national fast. Many young people use the opportunity of empty roads to take to their bicycles instead.

Young people take to their bicycles during Yom Kippur

Some ultra-orthodox Jews say Kaparot prayers over chickens in order to symbolically transfer their sins to the animal. The bird is then slaughtered and the meat given to the poor.

Swinging chickens

Yom Kippur News

63% of Israelis plan to fast this year and the proportion of those fasting is much higher is much higher amongst young people. There has also been some religious movement on the fasting requirements of patients in hospital. This from ynetnews.com:

A halachic breakthrough by Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, leader of Israel’s Lithuanian non-Hasidic haredi Ashkenazi Jews, allows patients to drink as much “stale” water as they wish during Yom Kippur.

The innovative ruling was issued following years during which patients were instructed by rabbis to only drink small amounts of water not exceeding 9 cc and consume them once every 15 minutes.

This week, following an appeal by medical activists in the haredi sector, Rabbi Elyashiv ruled that there is no need to drink small amounts of water and that every person with a doctor’s approval could consume an unlimited amount of “stale” water as far as Jewish Law is concerned.

“Stale” water is water which has lost its taste and become bitter or sour. This water is only meant to be consumed by patients and must not be drank by healthy people who are capable of fasting. This water has been examined by a pharmacist and medically approved.

Buen Gurion airport (TLV) will also be shut during the observances. Civilian aerial traffic in Israel will cease at 1 pm Wednesday ahead of the Yom Kippur holiday. Ben-Gurion Airport will reopen on Thursday evening at 9:30 for arrivals, while departures will begin at 10:30 pm. Sta Travel has seats on last minute flights to Ben Gurion for around £450.