Spirituality
HOLIDAY 101
Kippur
Day Of Atonement crowns the High Holidays.
Elizabeth Applebaum
Special to the Jewish News
W
hen. This year, Yom Kippur
begins at sunset on Friday,
Sep.17, and ends after sunset the
following day.
Why We Celebrate. Yom Kippur is the
Day of Atonement (yom in Hebrew means
"day" and kippur means "atonement") when
we seek expiation for our sins. The Torah
commandment to observe Yom Kippur is
in Leviticus 16:29 and Numbers 29:7. More
about the holiday is in Leviticus 16:30-34,
23:26-32 and Numbers 29:8-11.
Jewish scholars of ancient times created
a conceptual image for the High Holidays of
Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, which is
the Book of Life in which appears the name
of every person. On Rosh Hashanah, God
opens the book and decides the fate of each
soul; on Yom Kippur, God makes the decision
final.
Many believe that unlike Pesach, Shavuot,
Chanukah and Purim, which commemorate
historical events, Yom Kippur is entirely
spiritual in origin. However, the traditional
approach is that Yom Kippur is the anniver-
sary of God's forgiving the Jews for their first
disastrous, national sin: the worship of the
golden calf
Beth Ahm Names
School Director
West Bloomfield resident Joshua Goldberg
has been named new director of the
Manny and Natalie Charach Religious
School at Congregation Beth Ahm in West
Bloomfield.
He holds a bachelor's
degree from Wayne
State University in
speech communication
with a minor in Near
Eastern Studies. He is
taking courses toward
a master's degree in
Joshua
Judaic Studies at the
Goldberg
University of Michigan
in Ann Arbor.
Goldberg's background in Jewish edu-
cation includes 11 years teaching religious
school grades 6-12 in Hebrew language,
Jewish history, Torah, kashrut and the
In that episode, Moses chastised the peo-
ple, destroyed the tablets of the Torah and
went back up the mountain a second time to
beseech God's forgiveness and was given new
tablets (Exodus 32:30-35). He returned to his
people's encampment and then ascended the
mountain a third time (Exodus 34). This is
reckoned as the first day of Elul, the month
immediately preceding Rosh Hashanah.
After 40 days, God granted Moses's prayer
and forgave the Jews. Moses returned to the
Jews with new tablets of Torah on the 10th
day of the month of Tishrei, which is Yom
Kippur.
Rites and Rituals. The biblical command-
ment to observe Yom Kippur directs Jews to
"afflict" themselves. The rabbis interpreted
this to mean no food or drink, no wearing
of leather shoes, no bathing for pleasure, no
sexual relations and anointing with oils (in
ancient times, people used oil to clean, soften
and perfume the skin). The prohibition
Holocaust, among other topics.
He has led weekly youth services on
Shabbat and annual High Holiday family
services at various congregations. In addi-
tion to his deep engagement in synagogue
life and Jewish education, he has served
as a vice president of the young adult
B'nai B'rith Impact Michigan group and
is a trustee of the B'nai B'rith Great Lakes
Region since 2006.
Beth Ahm's religious school offers
classes for grades K-7. The school meets
on Shabbat morning and on Tuesdays.
Registration for is now open. Contact
Joshua Goldberg, (248) 851-6880 or
jgoldberg@cbahm.org .
Time To Register:
Religious School
The Congregation Shaarey Zedek
Religious School announces its registra-
tion is now open for the 2010-2011 aca-
against food and
drink extends to
chewing gum and
smoking.
This year, Yom
Kippur is on
Shabbat, a day
when Jews are
forbidden to fast.
Nonetheless, Yom
Kippur is of such
overriding importance that its restrictions
must be observed, even on Shabbat.
Persons on a regimen of medication or
who have other health issues should speak
with both rabbi and physician regarding
fasting.
The religious services for Yom Kippur are
the longest of any day in the year; and in
many congregations, prayer fills almost the
entire day. The major theme of the prayers is
repentance.
Yom Kippur includes two unique prayer
services: Kol Nidre, which begins the holiday
and in which we nullify all personal vows for
the coming year, and Neilah, which closes the
holiday.
A salient feature of the Yom Kippur liturgy
is the Vidui, or confession. This consists of
two parts: a short, alphabetically arranged
list of sins beginning with the Hebrew word
ashamnu ("we have trespassed") and then
Al Chet ("for the sin"), a long inventory of
demic school year.
Goals include for every child to fall in
love with Judaism and for every child to
feel comfortable in the synagogue and the
Jewish home connecting to God, Torah,
the State of Israel and the Jewish people.
For information or to register, contact
Rabbi Aaron Starr, (248) 357-5544 or
rabbistarr@shaareyzedek.org .
Grosse Pointe
Holiday Services
The Grosse Pointe Jewish Council has
scheduled services for the High Holidays.
Led by Cantor Kat Hastings and
Cantorial Soloist Bryant Frank, services
for Rosh Hashanah were held the evening
of Wednesday, Sept. 8, and also will be
held the morning of Thursday, Sept. 9.
Services for Yom Kippur will be held
the evening of Friday, Sept. 17, and
throughout the day Saturday, Sept. 18.
transgressions. As each line is recited, the
worshipper gently strikes his or her chest.
The Vidui is recited at all of the services of
Yom Kippur.
Along with Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur is
the only day when Jews prostrate themselves
in prayer, as was done by their ancestors in
the days of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
This occurs during the cantor's repetition of
the Amidah prayer in the Musaf service.
The method of prostration is to kneel and
touch the forehead to the floor. Prostration is
done almost exclusively in Orthodox congre-
gations.
Yom Kippur is also the only time when the
tallit is worn at night. It is put on for the Kol
Nidre and the ensuing evening service.
The following day, the tallit is worn from
the morning service until the end of Neilah
(and the end of Yom Kippur).
Unlike Rosh Hashanah, we do not blow the
shofar on Yom Kippur. Instead, the holiday
ends with a shofar blast.
Customs and Traditions. On Yom Kippur,
it is traditional to wear white to remind us
of our mortality because burial shrouds are
white. White also is a symbol of purity and
the hope that God will forgive our sins and
restore us to lives of virtue.
The customary greeting on Yom Kippur
is Gmar chatimah tovah ("May your fate be
sealed for the good"). ❑
On both holidays, there will be children's
services.
The Grosse Pointe Jewish Council
Sunday School is accepting students for
the upcoming fall term.
For service times and locations and
membership information, call the Grosse
Pointe Jewish Council, (313) 882-6700.
Ohr Somayach Hosts Scholar
Ohr Somayach Detroit's Mary Einstein
Shapero Memorial Eighth Annual Scholar-
in-Residence is set for Tuesday, Sept. 14,
12:30-1:30 p.m, at the Plaza Grille, Meyer
Cohen's restaurant in the Plaza Hotel,
16400 J.L. Hudson Drive, Southfield.
The lunch and learn will feature Rabbi
Dovid Gottlieb, who will discuss what
Yom Kippur and Purim have in common.
Program charge is $18. Reservations:
Call (248) 352-4870; fax (248) 352-2865;
or e-mail osdetroit@gmail.com .
September 9 • 2010
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