Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, began at sundown on Monday, Sept. 22, and lasted for two days, marking the beginning of a series of special dates on the Jewish calendar, called the High Holidays or High Holy Days.
The High Holidays are a time for repentance and reflection, and the day-long fast of Yom Kippur, which falls a week after Rosh Hashanah, is a time when practicing Jews reflect on sins or wrongdoings from the previous year, ask forgiveness and make amends.
The High Holiday of Yom Kippur, or the “Day of Atonement,” is the holiest day of the year in Judaism.
Here’s when Yom Kippur 2025 is and how it’s observed.
When is Yom Kippur 2025?
Yom Kippur will begin at sundown on Wednesday, Oct. 1 and continue through the next day.
What is Yom Kippur?
Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, marks the culmination of the 10 days of repentance that began on Rosh Hashanah and is when Jews reflect on their sins or wrongdoings from the previous year, ask for forgiveness, and think about how to improve in the new year. It is a day of fasting, and many Jews attend services at synagogues or other congregations, reciting prayers and singing songs.
The day before Yom Kippur, families gather and eat two festive meals. A honey cake may be requested and received, children are blessed and holiday candles are lit before sundown.
During Yom Kippur, no work may be done “until the stars come out in the evening of the next day,” according to Chabad.org.
For almost 26 hours observant teens and healthy Jewish adult cleanse their bodies and souls by abstaining from:
Eating or drinking (except for the sick, elderly or women who have just given birth)
Applying lotions or creams
Engaging in sexual activity
Five distinct prayer services take place on Yom Kippur, and rabbis read from a special prayer book known as the machzor. The day is devoted to introspection, prayer and asking for forgiveness.
Yom Kippur is the most sacred day of the year in Judaism and even Jews who may not ordinarily observe other traditions often observe it.
What is the appropriate greeting for Yom Kippur?
Yom Kippur is designated as a time for serious contemplation of the soul and one’s actions, so a cheerful “happy Yom Kippur” isn’t appropriate. Instead, try “have a good holy day,” “have a good fast,” “wishing you a good final sealing,” “have a meaningful Yom Kippur” or “have a good year.”
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Yom Kippur is coming soon. When the Day of Atonement falls in 2025