Friday, October 7, 2011

Entering into Yom Kippur

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In a few hours, just before sunset, Israel's streets will be empty of cars, except for any needed emergency vehicles.
Ben-Gurion Airport is already closed to all air traffic.
Judea and Samaria are under general closure and the Taba crossing into Sinai is closed.
Soon we will have our last meal and last drink of water until Saturday night, when the fast ends.
And soon I will shut down my computer for its yearly day of rest.

Jews will congregate, the religious and the one-time-per-year observant will be praying together in neighborhood synagogues all evening and all day tomorrow until sunset; the seculars will flock to the car-less roads on bicycles or skates or with strollers.

Yom Kippur, the solemn Day of Atonement, God's day of reckoning, our day of introspection and repenting, begins.
This year it falls on the Sabbath, so we get a double dose of holiness.

You can already feel the special hush falling over the land.
This is something you can feel only in Israel.

So I leave you now, until tomorrow night, wishing you all Shabbat shalom and a gmar chatima tova, "a good final sealing," i.e. May you be inscribed (in God's Book of Life) for all good.
May all the world have a peaceful, healthy, and fulfilling new year.
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18 comments:

  1. Gmar chatima tova, to you also Dina. Thank you for the past year of images and looking forward to the new year. Mary

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  2. This post and so fresh and calm. Wish you best time.

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  3. Gmar chatima tova to you too. Have a good day.

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  4. All the best wishes for you and your people Dina:-) God bless you!

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  5. Shabbat shalom, Dina, and a happy new year.

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  6. The energy felt must be great. How impressive.

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  7. I wish you a good fast and peace in every form. Gmar chatima tovah to you as well!

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  8. Gmar chatima tova to you Dina...

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  9. I love how you enlighten us about the Jewish holidays and traditions! Your blog is a goldmine!
    A blessed Yom Kippur to you, Dina!

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  10. A blessed holiday to you, Dina, and to all.

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  11. I have posted the photos of the donkeys on my blog for you Dina, so hopefully you can find them there after your time of fasting and repentance. Would that the world knew more of this in their hearts.

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  12. Both this and the previous sky shots are awesome!

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  13. Shabbat shalom and a gmar chatima tova to you also.

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  14. "May all the world have a peaceful, healthy, and fulfilling new year".

    This wish of yours was also spoken in my church this morning.Yom kippur is a very important feast and worth to br celebrated by the whole world. But when will that be?

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  15. I hope your evening was full of beauty and serenity, Dina. Thank you for teaching us your traditions. It helps me to understand our neighbors and dear friends here in Illinois.

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