Photos: Yom Kippur – Day of Atonement

Posted Sep 25, 2012

Yom Kippur,also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year for the Jewish people. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jewish people traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services. Yom Kippur completes the annual period known in Judaism as the High Holy Days or Yamim Nora’im.(AP) (Wikipedia)

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An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man is about to swing a chicken over his son's head, as part of the Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in the Ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. The ritual is performed before the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish year which starts at sundown Tuesday. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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Ultra-Orthodox Jews of the Hassidic sect Vizhnitz gather on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean sea as they participate in a Tashlich ceremony in Herzeliya, Israel, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. Tashlich, which means 'to cast away' in Hebrew, is the practice by which Jews go to a large flowing body of water and symbolically 'throw away' their sins by throwing a piece of bread, or similar food, into the water before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which start on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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Ultra-Orthodox Jews of the Hassidic sect Vizhnitz gather on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean sea as they participate in a Tashlich ceremony in Herzeliya, Israel, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. Tashlich, which means 'to cast away' in Hebrew, is the practice by which Jews go to a large flowing body of water and symbolically 'throw away' their sins by throwing a piece of bread, or similar food, into the water before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which start on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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Ultra-Orthodox Jews of the Hassidic sect Vizhnitz gather on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean sea as they participate in a Tashlich ceremony in Herzeliya, Israel, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. Tashlich, which means 'to cast away' in Hebrew, is the practice by which Jews go to a large flowing body of water and symbolically 'throw away' their sins by throwing a piece of bread, or similar food, into the water before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which start on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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Ultra-Orthodox Jews of the Hassidic sect Vizhnitz gather on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean sea as they participate in a Tashlich ceremony in Herzeliya, Israel, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. Tashlich, which means 'to cast away' in Hebrew, is the practice by which Jews go to a large flowing body of water and symbolically 'throw away' their sins by throwing a piece of bread, or similar food, into the water before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which start on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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Ultra-Orthodox Jews of the Hassidic sect Vizhnitz gather on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean sea as they participate in a Tashlich ceremony in Herzeliya, Israel, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. Tashlich, which means 'to cast away' in Hebrew, is the practice by which Jews go to a large flowing body of water and symbolically 'throw away' their sins by throwing a piece of bread, or similar food, into the water before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which start on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish boy of the Hassidic sect Vizhnitz jumps as other gather on a hill overlooking the Mediterranean sea as they participate in a Tashlich ceremony in Herzeliya, Israel, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. Tashlich, which means 'to cast away' in Hebrew, is the practice by which Jews go to a large flowing body of water and symbolically 'throw away' their sins by throwing a piece of bread, or similar food, into the water before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which start on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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Ultra-Orthodox Jewish youths pray before the holiday of Yom Kippur at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray in Jerusalem's old city, early Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012. Yom Kippur, or "Day of Atonement," is the holiest of Jewish holidays when observant Jews atone for the sins of the past year. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
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Ultra-Orthodox Jewish youths pray before the holiday of Yom Kippur at the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray in Jerusalem's old city, early Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012. Yom Kippur, or "Day of Atonement," is the holiest of Jewish holidays when observant Jews atone for the sins of the past year. (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)
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An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man swings a chicken over this son's head, as part of the Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in the Ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The ritual is performed before the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish year which starts at sundown Tuesday. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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An ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman swings a chicken over her head, as part of the Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in the Ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The ritual is performed before the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish year which starts at sundown Tuesday. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man swings a chicken, later to be slaughtered as part of the Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in Jerusalem's religious Mea Shearim neighborhood, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The ceremony is held before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
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Ultra-Orthodox Jews swing chickens over their heads, as part of the Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in the Ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012. The ritual is performed before the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish year which starts at sundown Tuesday. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man swings a chicken over this son's head, as part of the Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in Jerusalem's religious Mea Shearim neighborhood, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The ceremony is held before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
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An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man chases a chicken, later to be slaughtered as part of the Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in Jerusalem's religious Mea Shearim neighborhood, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The ceremony is held before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
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An ultra-Orthodox Jewish child feeds chickens, later to be slaughtered as part of the Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in Jerusalem's religious Mea Shearim neighborhood, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The ceremony is held before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
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An ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman swings a chicken over another woman's head, as part of the Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in the Ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. The ritual is performed before the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish year which starts at sundown Tuesday. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man is about to swing a chicken over his son's head, as part of the Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in the Ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. The ritual is performed before the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish year which starts at sundown Tuesday. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man swings a chicken over his son's head, as part of the Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in the Ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. The ritual is performed before the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish year which starts at sundown Tuesday. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
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Ultra-Orthodox Jewish children watch chickens being slaughtered as part of the Kaparot ritual in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in the Ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The ritual is performed before the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish year which starts at sundown Tuesday. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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An ultra-Orthodox Jewish boy chases a chicken, later to be slaughtered as part of the Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in the Ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The ritual is performed before the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish year which starts at sundown Tuesday. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man prays before swinging a chicken over his son's head, as part of the Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in Jerusalem's religious Mea Shearim neighborhood, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The ceremony is held before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
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Ultra-Orthodox Jews surround a plastic pool with water and fish as they participate in a Tashlich ceremony in the ultra-Orthodox Israeli town of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. Tashlich, which means 'to cast away' in Hebrew, is the practice by which Jews go to a large flowing body of water and symbolically 'throw away' their sins by throwing a piece of bread, or similar food, into the water before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which start on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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Ultra-Orthodox Jews surround a plastic pool with water and fish as they participate in a Tashlich ceremony in the ultra-Orthodox Israeli town of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. Tashlich, which means 'to cast away' in Hebrew, is the practice by which Jews go to a large flowing body of water and symbolically 'throw away' their sins by throwing a piece of bread, or similar food, into the water before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which start on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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Ultra-Orthodox Jews surround a plastic pool with water and fish as they participate in a Tashlich ceremony in the ultra-Orthodox Israeli town of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. Tashlich, which means 'to cast away' in Hebrew, is the practice by which Jews go to a large flowing body of water and symbolically 'throw away' their sins by throwing a piece of bread, or similar food, into the water before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which start on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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Ultra-Orthodox Jews pray during the Tashlich ceremony in the ultra-Orthodox Israeli town of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. Tashlich, which means 'to cast away' in Hebrew, is the practice by which Jews go to a large flowing body of water and symbolically 'throw away' their sins by throwing a piece of bread, or similar food, into the water before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which start on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man prays next to a chickens cage during the Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in the Ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Israel, Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012. The ritual is performed before the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish year which starts at sundown Tuesday. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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Ultra-Orthodox Jews gather to participate in a Tashlich ceremony in the ultra-Orthodox Israeli town of Bnei Brak near Tel Aviv, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. Tashlich, which means 'to cast away' in Hebrew, is the practice by which Jews go to a large flowing body of water and symbolically 'throw away' their sins by throwing a piece of bread, or similar food, into the water before the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, which start on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
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Israelis light candles in the shape of a clock during a protest against the government decision to return to winter clock more than a month ahead of Europe and the U.S. in Tel Aviv, Saturday, Sept 22, 2012. Israel was set to move its clocks back by an hour overnight on Sunday, putting the country on its winter clock more than a month ahead of Europe and the U.S. and adding to the rising anger that many mainstream Israelis feel toward an ultra-Orthodox minority. Yom Kippur, which begins on Tuesday evening, is marked by a sundown-to-sundown fast. Orthodox religious parties, which have always held key swing votes in Israel's political system, are behind the time change, wanting to decrease the number of waking hours for those fasting. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)