Yom Kippur

As the sun set yesterday evening, Yom Kippur-- the Day of Atonement-- began. Everything in Israel is completely shut down until sunset today. There are absolutely no cars on any of the streets-- instead, people are walking their dogs with their families, socializing in the middle of the road, or biking down the center of the highway. Religious Israelis observe the day by fasting from sunset to sunset, wearing white, and repenting for their sins of the past year.

Neil napping on the highway.

Lying on the highway.

People milling about on the streets.

Exit off the highway to my neighborhood.

Bikers on the highway.

For me, as a nonreligious observer, it was a fun holiday of forced relaxation and idleness. And, of course, a welcome 3-day weekend.

Anyways, the sun should set in about 2 hours, which will mark the end of Yom Kippur 2006. And it's a damn good thing because Neil and I have eaten everything in the house.


**Addendum: Apologies to any readers who may have been offended by my not observing the religious tenets of Judaism on Yom Kippur. Keep in mind, of course, that while Israel is a nation established as a haven for those of Jewish ethnic origins, just under 50% of Jewish Israelis identify themselves as secular Jews. In addition, especially in a liberal, urban area such as Tel Aviv, the percentage of nonreligious citizens is even higher. From what I observed on the streets-- kids playing in the center of the street, families biking down the highway, young and elderly couples with dogs strolling through barren intersections normally congested with vehicles-- my Yom Kippur experience was rather similar to those that reside in my area. If any reader is particuarly concerned that I experience an Israeli holiday in a Jewish manner, perhaps it will appease you to know that I will be observing Succot at a religious colleague's home this Friday evening.**