More on Yom Kippur

Tonight is Yom Kippur, the most attended service in Jewish life. I hope you are not using this as your non-Jewish sweetheart’s first experience of a Jewish service. IF YOU ARE, warn them that the liturgy is very old, written long ago, based on the ancient history of the Jews. Don’t expect this to be fun or joyful. And then tomorrow we fast!

The one thing I can say about fasting that is lovely is that Jews everywhere are fasting together on this day. Even if you are hungry and thirsty, we’re in it together.

Are you in the Oakland area and just can’t face a day in shul? Consider popping over to Beth Jacob on Park Blvd. from 8am to 9am Saturday morning. Rabbi Dardik will be doing a short program, Greatest Hits of Yom Kippur. You’ll be in and out and off to your day. He doesn’t care whether you’re fasting – naturally you shouldn’t eat in the shul since other people are fasting. But if you go out to breakfast afterwards, fine. Look here for details.