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יוֹם כִּפּוּר
Yom Kippur 2026

Hebrew year 5787

The Day of Atonement

September 21, 2026

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Pick a city to see its kosher caterers, restaurants, and bakeries around Yom Kippur 2026, then arrange the pre-fast meal or the break-fast directly with them.

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.

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Break-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.

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Honey 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.

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Bagels and Lox

The quintessential Yom Kippur break-fast centerpiece: smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, and fresh bagels from a kosher bakery.

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Kashrut 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

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Yom Kippur FAQs

Common questions about Yom Kippur 5787.

When is Yom Kippur 2026?

Yom Kippur 2026 begins at sundown on Sunday, September 20, and ends at nightfall on Monday, September 21. The Kol Nidre service is held on the evening of September 20, and the final Ne'ilah service and shofar blast conclude the holiday on September 21.

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.