what is yom kippur about

Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day in the Jewish calendar. It is centered on repentance, fasting, prayer, and seeking forgiveness for sins committed over the past year. Observed on the 10th day of the Hebrew month of Tishri, Yom Kippur concludes the ten-day period of introspection that begins with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It is a day to reflect, ask for forgiveness from God and others, and seek spiritual purification and reconciliation. The observance includes a 25-hour fast, refraining from physical comforts like washing and wearing leather shoes, and intensive prayer services culminating in the sounding of the shofar horn to mark the closing of the holy day. The tradition is rooted in biblical rituals performed by the high priest to atone for the sins of Israel and symbolizes a fresh start spiritually and morally for the new year.