Yom Kippur

The start of the Jewish Day of Atonement at sundown Sunday marked the beginning of a day like no other in Israel, on which even Israelis with no connection to religion tend to put their normal lives on hold. This year Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, comes at a particularly somber time following revelations of a previously hidden Iranian nuclear facility and more missile tests by the Revolutionary Guard. "That proves to whoever was still in doubt that Iran is the most serious threat today on the peace of the world and its security," said Israeli Deputy Foreign Ministry Danny ... Read Full Story

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli police fired stun grenades on Sunday to disperse 150 Palestinians who hurled stones at Jewish worshipers visiting a sensitive religious site in the Old City before the start of the holiest day for Jews. Two policemen were lightly wounded, a spokesman said, and Palestinian medics said they evacuated a Palestinian man suffering from a head injury. Police restored calm and closed the complex after the incident. The incident occurred before Yom Kippur in the complex known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as al-Harm al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary). It houses al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock ... Read Full Story

The Israeli army will close off the West Bank from Saturday on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar which starts at sunset on Sunday, a military spokesman said. The closure becomes effective from Saturday midnight (2100 GMT) and continues until midnight Monday (2200 GMT), the spokesman said. The Israeli-occupied West Bank is routinely closed before Jewish holidays for fear of attacks by Palestinian militants. Twenty-one Israelis were killed on the eve of Yom Kippur three years ago when a female suicide bomber from Islamic Jihad blew herself up in a restaurant in the northern port city of Haifa. ... Read Full Story

The NFL has moved up the start time of the New York Jets' game against the Tennessee Titans on September 27 after the team complained to the league about having to play home games on consecutive Jewish holidays. The league made the change Friday, rescheduling the 4:15 start to 1 p.m. a day after Jets owner Woody Johnson sent a letter to commissioner Roger Goodell suggesting the switch to allow fans to arrive home before sundown on Yom Kippur, the Jewish day of atonement. The Jets' home opener against New England is 1 p.m. on Sept. 20, which falls during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish ... Read Full Story

Yom Kippur is probably the most reverential and solemn festival in the Jewish calendar and is a time when Jews are given the chance to change God’s judgement of one’s deeds.Litereally speaking, Yom Kippur is the Day of Attonement, so it’s at this time when Jews can atone for their sins. The outcome of the day will set the tone for the following year, so it’s important to spend the time thinking about one’s wrong-doings and to seek forgiveness. One of the principle features of the holiday is 25 hours of prayer and fasting.Most of the day is spend in Synagogue services. One major ... Read Full Story