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The History of Yom Kippur
By Cynthia Kirkeby
Sep 2, 2008, 05:15 PST
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Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, begins eight days after Rosh Hashanah. In 2008 it also marks the 35th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. Yom Kippur's origin comes from the Bible in the book of Leviticus and is the only fast day degreed in the Bible (Lev. 23:26-32).
Yom Kippur is called the Day of Atonement, during which Jews around the world fast (no food or drink) for 25 hours and pray for the forgiveness of sins between man and God. They meditate on how they can become better individuals, and how they can correct anything they have done that would displease God.
The holiday of Yom Kippur is one of the most widely observed holidays of the Jewish community. Even individuals who consider themselves primarily secular Jews participate in this holy day. Most activities are suspended during Yom Kippur, especially entertainment venues. The country of Israel basically shuts down. Roads are closed, and TV and radio broadcasts, including the news, are suspended during this time.
During Yom Kippur, Jews also commemorate the two-week war (Oct. 6-20, 1973) also known as the Yom Kippur War. This was one of several defensive battles Israel has fought since its establishment in 1948. The war began when Egypt and Syria, aided by other Arab nations, jointly launched a surprise attack on Israel. Troops from both countries crossed the cease-fire lines in the Sinai and Golan Heights, respectively, established during the 1967 Six-Day War.
According to the Israeli Project, "At the beginning of the Yom Kippur War, the Egyptians and Syrians made some significant gains, but within a matter of days the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) managed to push back the attack. The United Nations called for a cease-fire when the tide turned against the Arab nations. On Oct. 22, 1973, the U.N. Security Council adopted Resolution 338 calling upon all parties to the present fighting to cease all firing and terminate all military activity immediately."
The Yom Kippur war was considered a terrible failure by the Israelis who failed to adequately defend the loss of their established lands, and the Israeli armed forces lost almost 2700 lives during the short war.
Sources: The Israeli Project and the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
© Copyright 2008 by ClassBrain.com
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