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יוֹם כִּפּוּר
Yom Kippur 5787
The Day of Atonement
Yom Kippur — the Day of Atonement — is the holiest day of the Jewish year, the solemn culmination of the Ten Days of Repentance that begin on Rosh Hashanah. Observed with a 25-hour complete fast (no food or water), the day is spent almost entirely in synagogue prayer, moving through five distinct services: Maariv with the haunting Kol Nidre on the eve, Shacharit, Musaf, Mincha, and the climactic Ne'ilah as the gates of heaven are said to close. Jews wear white, symbolizing purity and the angelic, and many don a kittel (white robe). The Yizkor memorial prayer honors those who have passed. As Ne'ilah ends, a single long shofar blast pierces the silence, sealing the day's judgment and sending the congregation into the new year cleansed and renewed.
Yom Kippur Traditions
How Jews observe Yom Kippur around the world.
Kol Nidre service — the eve of Yom Kippur's haunting prayer annulling vows
25-hour complete fast with no food or water
Five prayer services throughout the day (Maariv, Shacharit, Musaf, Mincha, Ne'ilah)
Wearing white garments or a kittel symbolizing purity
Yizkor memorial prayer for departed loved ones
Ne'ilah closing service as the gates of heaven are sealed
Final shofar blast marking the end of Yom Kippur
Kapparot — the pre-Yom Kippur atonement ritual with a chicken or money
Yom Kippur Food Guide
Traditional foods and where to find them.
Seudah Hamafseket (Pre-Fast Meal)
The final meal before the 25-hour fast begins at sundown. Light, easy-to-digest foods are traditional — chicken soup, chicken or fish, and round challah.
Find nearbyBreak-Fast Spread
After the fast ends, families gather for a break-fast featuring bagels, lox, cream cheese, kugel, blintzes, and other dairy or pareve foods to gently end the day.
Find nearbyHoney Cake (Lekach)
Honey cake is traditionally given before Yom Kippur as a sweet wish for a good new year, and to fulfill a custom of accepting a gift so one need not receive it as a heavenly decree.
Find nearbyBagels and Lox
The quintessential Yom Kippur break-fast centerpiece — smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, and fresh bagels from a kosher bakery.
Find nearbyKashrut Notes for Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur is a complete 25-hour fast — no food or water from before sundown until nightfall the following evening
No cooking occurs on Yom Kippur itself; all food preparation is done beforehand
The pre-fast meal (seudah hamafseket) is a meaningful part of the holiday preparation
Break-fast packages are widely available from kosher caterers and restaurants — order in advance
Yom Kippur is a Yom Tov with the same restrictions as Shabbat, plus the five additional afflictions (fasting, no bathing, no anointing, no leather shoes, no marital relations)
Children under bar/bat mitzvah age and those with medical conditions are exempt from fasting
Find Kosher Food for Yom Kippur
Browse certified kosher restaurants, bakeries, and caterers in your city.
Los Angeles
From Pico-Robertson to the Valley
New York City
The Kosher Capital of America
Miami
Sun, Sand, and Kosher Everything
Chicago
Deep Dish Meets Kosher Tradition
Brooklyn
The Heart of American Jewish Life
Lakewood
America's Fastest-Growing Kosher Hub
Teaneck
The Modern Orthodox Food Capital
Baltimore
Star-K Central and Kosher Comfort
Philadelphia
Brotherly Love, Kosher Style
Houston
Texas-Sized Kosher in the Bayou City
Atlanta
Southern Hospitality Meets Kosher Cuisine
Dallas
Kosher in the Heart of Texas
San Diego
Kosher by the Coast
Denver
Mile-High Kosher Dining
Phoenix
Desert Oasis for Kosher Food
Boston
Where Tradition Meets Innovation
Detroit
Motor City's Kosher Scene
Cleveland
Heartland Kosher at Its Best
Seattle
Pacific Northwest Kosher
St. Louis
Gateway to Kosher
San Francisco
Bay Area Kosher Culture
Washington DC
The Nation's Kosher Capital
Las Vegas
Kosher Hits the Jackpot
New Jersey
The Kosher Corridor — Teaneck to Lakewood
Baltimore
Star-K Country — A Proud Kosher City
Philadelphia
From Rittenhouse to the Main Line
Houston
Texas-Sized Kosher Scene
Boca Raton
South Florida's Kosher Hub
Yom Kippur FAQs
Common questions about Yom Kippur 5787.
When is Yom Kippur 2026?
Yom Kippur 2026 begins at nightfall on Wednesday, September 30, and ends at nightfall on Thursday, October 1. The Kol Nidre service is held on the evening of September 30, and the final Ne'ilah service and shofar blast conclude the holiday on October 1.
What is the Yom Kippur fast?
The Yom Kippur fast is a 25-hour complete fast, abstaining from all food and water. It begins before sundown on the eve of Yom Kippur and ends after nightfall the following day. It is one of five afflictions observed on Yom Kippur alongside prohibitions on bathing, anointing with oils, wearing leather shoes, and marital relations.
What is Kol Nidre?
Kol Nidre is the prayer that opens the evening service on Yom Kippur eve. Chanted to a deeply moving ancient melody, it is a legal declaration that annuls vows made between a person and God. The Kol Nidre melody is one of the most recognized in all of Jewish music and sets the tone for the solemn day ahead.
What do you eat before and after Yom Kippur?
Before the fast, Jews eat the seudah hamafseket — a final meal featuring light, nourishing foods like chicken soup, challah, and fish. After the 25-hour fast ends, the break-fast typically features dairy and pareve foods: bagels, lox, cream cheese, kugel, blintzes, and orange juice. Many families and synagogues host communal break-fast gatherings.
How does Yom Kippur relate to Rosh Hashanah?
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the two High Holy Days, connected by the Aseret Yemei Teshuvah — the Ten Days of Repentance. Jewish tradition teaches that on Rosh Hashanah, God writes each person's fate for the coming year in the Book of Life, and on Yom Kippur that judgment is sealed. The days between are an opportunity for repentance, prayer, and charity.