Israel observes Yom Kippur, the holiest day for Jews, amid a war for the first time since 1973
Israel has entered a day of shutdown since late on Friday afternoon as the Jewish state marks one of the most important days of its religious calendar. Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, which is also the holiest day of the Jews, is observed from October 11 to October 12 this year.
Israel shuts down for?Yom Kippur
For Yom Kippur, from sundown on Friday until nightfall on Saturday, markets across Israel are closed, flights stopped, and public transport halted, as observant Jews fast and pray throughout the day.
Yom Kippur does not just have religious significance, but also historic importance in Israel. That is because, in the past, the Jewish holiday has coincided with some of the worst attacks Israel has faced.
1973 Yom Kippur War??
The most notable was the 1973 Yom Kippur War, which started on October 6 of that year. A coalition of Arab countries led by Egypt launched a surprise attack on Israel on October 6, 1973, which was also the 10th day of Ramadan, taking advantage of the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur when the country practically shuts down for a day of prayers.?
However, despite the initial shock, Israel was able to stop the armies of Egypt and Syria from advancing, and by the end of the war on October 25, the Arab coalition was left battered and the Jewish state took full control of Jerusalem.
Another Yom Kippur amid a war
Yom Kippur 2024 is the first time since 1973 that Israel has observed the holy day amid a war. Israel is currently engaged in a multi-front war, involving Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Gaza, and the West Bank.
October 7 Hamas terror attack
The ongoing conflict broke out on October 7, 2023, one day after the Yom Kippur War anniversary, when Hamas militants intruded into Israel and killed over 1,200 Israelis and took over 200 others as hostages.
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