Day of Atonement

Yom Kippur is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, a 25-hour fast devoted to prayer, repentance, and spiritual introspection. Even secular Israelis observe this day—the entire country shuts down, no cars drive on the roads, and children famously ride bicycles on empty highways. The day concludes with a final blast of the shofar, symbolizing the sealing of the heavenly decree.