What is Yom Kippur?
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish year. Observed on the tenth of Tishrei, it is the culmination of the Ten Days of Repentance that begin on Rosh Hashanah. Jews mark it with a 25-hour fast, intensive prayer, and a focus on teshuva — repentance and return — seeking forgiveness from God and from the people they've wronged. It is the year's most solemn and introspective day.
What happens on Yom Kippur?
- A complete fast (no food or drink) for about 25 hours.
- A full day of prayer and reflection, including the Kol Nidrei service that opens the holiday.
- A focus on repairing relationships — Jewish tradition teaches that Yom Kippur atones for wrongs between a person and God, but wrongs between people require seeking their forgiveness directly.
What is teshuva, and how do I prepare?
Teshuva literally means "return" — not just regret, but the work of recognizing a wrong, owning it, making amends, and resolving to act differently. Preparing for Yom Kippur means doing that work in advance: honest reflection in the days before, and reaching out to people you may have hurt. A short daily learning practice through the season helps you arrive ready rather than rushed.
In short: Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year — a fast day devoted to repentance, forgiveness, and return, closing the High Holy Days.
Prepare for Yom Kippur with Derekh Learning
Derekh Learning's short daily lessons help you build toward the Day of Atonement with the themes of teshuva and forgiveness. Start learning or read what Rosh Hashanah is.
