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
Feast of the First Fruits of Wine day because "the wine gets atonement on this day" and was commanded to be observed as an annual celebration perpetually. After this holiday, the children of Israel were permitted to eat from their grape vines, whether the grapes were ripe or still unripe, because after the observances of this holiday, they had made a full atonement for the wine. It so happens that this day coincides with the modern Jewish period called "The Nine Days", a time when mourning practices take place and when wine and meat are prohibited. This holiday is not observed by any known modern Jewish group