After joyful and uplifting New Year celebrations, Jews in Ukraine are preparing for Yom Kippur (the “Day of Atonement”), the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, marking the end of the Ten Days of Repentance that follow Rosh Hashanah.
Just before sunset on Sunday, special holiday candles will be lit, and parents will offer a special blessing of protection over their children.
Sadly, in Ukraine, opportunities for personal reflection and religious ceremonies have been interrupted by the ongoing crisis. In the past few days, at least nine people have been killed and 36 others injured in attacks. In southern Ukraine a drone hit a bus carrying people to work, killing five individuals and injuring seven others. And a warehouse in Kyiv was damaged in the strikes along with some of the critical energy infrastructure in Poltava, heightening concerns about the upcoming winter season.
Synagogues across Ukraine reported unusually large crowds for Rosh Hashanah services, with communities expecting similarly large turnouts for Yom Kippur:
“After such a long and exhausting period, people are looking more than ever for a sense of togetherness and for the strength that comes from tradition,” one community rabbi said. “We are all looking ahead and praying together that the new year will bring calm, peace and sweetness.”
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