Song and prayer filled the air at Temple Beth Shalom as Rabbi Dana Evan Kaplan and Cantor Baruch Koritan led the Sun City community for Yom Kippur services.
Yom Kippur is the Jewish day of atonement and is considered one of the most sacred days on the Jewish calendar. It is marked by a 24-hour fast that allows for a spiritual reflection on the past year by focusing on one’s soul as opposed to the body’s needs.
According to rabbinical tradition, the day of atonement emerged when the Jewish people sinned by worshipping a golden calf after escaping Egypt. Moses climbed Mount Sinai and prayed to God for forgiveness. After two 40-day periods, God finally absolved them. Moses returned to the mountain’s base and Yom Kippur was born.
