Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men buy chickens to perform the Kaparot ritual ahead of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in Jerusalem, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) 
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man swings a chicken over his head as part of the Kaparot ritual ahead of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in Jerusalem, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) 
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man swings a chicken over a woman’s head as part of the Kaparot ritual ahead of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in Jerusalem, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) 
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man swings a chicken over his children’s heads as part of the Kaparot ritual ahead of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in Jerusalem, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) 
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men receive cakes from their Rebbe ahead of Yom Kippur, which begins at sunset, in Beit Shemesh, Israel, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) 
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men pray ahead of Yom Kippur, which begins at sunset, in Beit Shemesh, Israel, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) 
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man whips a member of his Hasidic dynasty with a leather strap as a symbolic punishment for his sins last year, during the traditional Malkot (whipping in Hebrew) ceremony ahead of Yom Kippur that begins at sunset, Beit Shemesh, Israel, Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) 
Girls ride their bicycles on a car-free road during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) 
A boy rides his bicycle on a car-free road during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) 
A man rides his bicycle along a car-free main road during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) 
A Jewish man, wrapped in a prayer shawl, walks beside the Old City walls in Jerusalem during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, Monday, Sept. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg) 
People walk along a car-free road during the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, in Jerusalem, Monday, Sept. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. is widely considered the holiest day of the year in the Jewish calendar. It is being observed this year from around sunset on Sunday until after nightfall Monday night. It is typically spent in prayer and repentance.
It marks the conclusion of the Jewish High Holy days, which began with Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, which began and ended last week.
Brief descriptions of these holy days are available here from two of the major branches of U.S. Judaism:
—The Hasidic organization Chabad-Lubavitch:
—The Union of Reform Judaism:
In recent years, many synagogues around the world have added extra layers of security, particularly on the High Holy Days. These include guards, cameras, and various systems for controlling access to events through ticketing, registration or other forms of vetting.
“The security measures that congregations have to upgrade to is just overwhelming,” said Rabbi Rick Jacobs, leader of the U.S.-based Union for Reform Judaism. “The feeling of being in community — we desperately need that. But you don’t want to tell people something that’s false, like ′Don’t worry.′”
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