Yom Kippur, a day of atonement and repentance, is considered the holiest of Jewish holidays. The Day of Atonement is marked by a 25-hour period of fasting, intense reflection and prayers, and involves a number of traditional ceremonies, including the Kaparot, where chickens are waved in the air and later ritually slaughtered.
Israel Observes Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur, a day of atonement and repentance, is considered the holiest of Jewish holidays. The Day of Atonement is marked by a 25-hour period of fasting, intense reflection and prayers.
Alon Ershov / Demotix / Corbis
An Ashkenazi orthodox Jew prays the Selichot prayer in the Synagogue, near to David's tomb in Jerusalem, Israel on Sept. 25th 2012. Prayer at the Western Wall drew tens of thousands of Israelis of Selichot before Yom Kippur.
