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Yom Kippur
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Yom Kippur, the Day for Atonement, is the most solemn day of the Jewish year, the culmination of the
spiritual journey begun on Rosh Hashanah. The ten days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur are known
as the Days Of Repentance or the Days of Awe. It is a time to repent for our sins and ask for
forgiveness.
We fast for 25 hours, starting before sunset on the evening before Yom Kippur and ending
after nightfall the following day. We spend many hours in the synagogue, praying, meditating,
discussing and learning, and asking God for forgiveness. During the services we confess our sins
in unison as a community, so that no-one is shamed by having to confess their sins alone.
The evening service starts with the prayer 'Kol Nidre' (All Vows), when we ask for all our vows
which cannot be fulfilled to be annulled and made void. A tallit (prayer shawl) is worn for evening
prayers; the only evening service of the year when this is done.
There are synagogue services all day the following day. The final service is Neilah, the 'closing'
of the gates of heaven. A final plea is made to God
for forgiveness. The sound of the shofar marks the end of the holy day.
The Book of Life is closed and sealed,
and we hope and pray that we will be granted a happy New Year.
At NWSS the choir sings (beautifully) during the service.
We are extremely lucky that some of the pieces they sing have been composed or arranged by members
of the choir and their families, so some of our music is totally unique to us.
Yizkor (Memorial Service) usually happens around 5-6pm. In advance of Rosh Hashanah,
members are invited to inform us of the names of close family members who have died and
whom they wish to be mentioned during Yizkor, or included in a list displayed in the front hall.
As we leave the synagogue at the end of the day, we have apples and honey
so that we can complete our fast in a sweet, sticky fashion.
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Festival dates
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