Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the Jewish year. It is the last day of the High Holy Days. On this day, the "book of life" is sealed, and God decides the kind of life that everyone will have for the coming year. Jews pray for forgiveness and beg for a healthy and happy year. Yom Kippur is often called the Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur, along with other Jewish holidays, begins on sun-down and lasts until sun-down the following day. On Yom Kippur, Jews fast without eating or drinking anything during the holiday.

During the days between Rosh Hashanah (the first of the High Holy Days) and Yom Kippur, Jews pray to God for forgiveness. However, they can only get God's forgiveness after they have asked for it from the people they have offended.

In the time of the Temple, the High Priest performed a special service in the Temple on Yom Kippur. He prayed for the nation and brought sacrifices on its behalf. Much rejoicing went on after Yom Kippur, if the High Preist was successful in completing his task and obtaining forgiveness for the Jewish nation. The service of Yom Kippur in the Temple is described in detail in this website.