Most Important Day of Jewish Year Starts at Sundown

Yom Kippur, known as the Jewish Day of Atonement, runs from sundown, today, Sept. 13, to nightfall on Saturday, Sept. 14.

The Day of Atonement is considered the most important day of the Jewish year. More Jews go to temple on Yom Kippur than any other holiday, according to the Huffington Post. 

Yom Kippur marks the end of the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of teshuvah --Jewish reflection, repentance and return -- that begins with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

During the Days of Awe, Jews seeks forgiveness from friends, family and co-workers, a process that begins with Tashlich, the symbolic casting off of sins that is traditionally observed on the afternoon of Rosh Hashanah by throwing bread into a body of water. 

On Yom Kippur, Jews attempt to mend their relationships with God. This is done, in part, by reciting the Vidui, a public confession of sins. The holiday has the most extensive prayer schedule of the Hebrew calendar and arduous abstinence from food, drink, sexual intimacy and animal-based clothing, such as leather.

Here is the prayer schedule for Temple Habonim on New Meadow Road in Barrington:

• A Yom Kippur worship service starts tonight at 8.
• A family worship service begins at 9 am Saturday.
• A morning worship service Saturday starts at 10:45 am.
• A Tot worship service starts at 2 pm and will include the sharing of a holiday story.
• An afternoon worship service starts at 3:15 pm. 
• The Temple Sisterhood will break the fast Saturday at 6 pm.