Description
This is the holiest day of the Jewish calendar, when people's fates for the coming year are decided. It marks the closure of the 10 days of introspection following Rosh Hashana and is the final chance to pray for forgiveness for sins committed during the past year. Yom Kippur lasts for 25 hours (from one evening to the next). During this time, people refrain from eating, drinking, washing or other sensual pleasures. People are prohibited from wearing leather and tend to dress in white. Israel grinds to a halt on this day and there is hardly any traffic on the roads.