Yom Kippur Yom Kippur Yom Kippur (; , , or ), also known as the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the year in Judaism. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jewish people traditionally observe this holy day with an approximate 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue services. "Yom" means "day" in Hebrew and "Kippur" comes from a root that means "to atone". Yom Kippur is usually expressed in English as "Day of Atonement". Yom Kippur is "the tenth day of [the] seventh month" (Tishrei) and is regarded as the
Jewish holidays also recognizes several ethnic Jewish observances with holiday status. "Yom HaShoah" (lit. "Holocaust Day") is a day of remembrance for victims of the Holocaust. Its full name is "Yom Hazikaron LaShoah v'LiGevurah" (lit. "Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day") (), and reflects a desire to recognize martyrs who died in active resistance to the Nazis alongside those who died as passive victims. Its date, 27 Nisan, was chosen because it commemorates the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, the best known of the armed Jewish uprisings. Places of public entertainment are closed throughout Israel in recognition of the day. Public commemoration of Yom HaShoah