Yom Kippur Description
The Day of Atonement, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, observed with a 25-hour complete fast (no food, water, or other physical pleasures) and intensive prayer. The entire country comes to an unprecedented standstill: airports close, there is absolutely no public transportation, no radio or television broadcasts, and all roads are empty of motor vehicles — children and adults ride bicycles freely on highways. Synagogues are filled throughout the day for Kol Nidre, morning, afternoon, and concluding Ne'ilah services. Government offices, banks, and all businesses close. Even most secular Israelis respect the day's solemnity.
