B’nai Emet observancePlease join your B’nai Emet family for Kol Nidre on Sunday, September
27 at 6:15 pm. Services on Yom Kippur day, Monday, September 28, begin at 8:00 am with the morning service, Torah service, and Yizkor. Young Family Service from 10:00 to 11:00, Conversation with Rabbi Selch at 4:30 pm, Minchah at 5:15 pm, the Neilah service at 6:30 pm. The final shofar blast to conclude Yom Kippur will be at 7:21 pm. Click here for contact information to inquire about member tickets and our guest ticket policy. 
What is Yom Kippur?Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. On that day, we beg forgiveness for our sins with prayer and fasting. We atone for our sins against God, and we ask forgiveness from those we have wronged. On Yom Kippur this year, we fast from before sunset on Sunday, September 27, until after the final blast of the Shofar (approximately 7:21 pm) on Monday, September 28. What is the significance of the Kol Nidre evening service?Kol Nidre, which means “all vows,” is probably the most famous prayer in Jewish liturgy. It is a statement dealing with promises and vows made in the course of the year. Normally, we are required to keep our word and fulfill our vows. But on this night, we nullify the binding nature of our personal vows, promises we make to ourselves that we are not able to keep . Promises given to others are not nullified. During the service, all Torah scrolls are removed from the Ark and held before the congregation. The chazzan chants Kol Nidre three times in order for late-comers to hear the prayer. What is Viddui?
Viddui is confession. This theme of confession is linked to the idea of teshuvah (repentance) in our Yom Kippur service. The Torah requires any man or woman who has sinned against other people or against God to confess the sin. On Yom Kippurthe viddui prayers Ashamnu and Al Chet are spoken several times. The sins are listed in the order of the alef-bet, and they are stated in the plural: “We have become guilty…”. Even if one is sure s/he has not committed a particular misdeed, one confesses to that sin because all Jews are responsible for one another. What is the significance of Neilah, the concluding service?Neilah means “closing the gates.” At the end of this solemn day, as our future is being sealed, we pray that we are sealed in the Book of Life and that the new year will bring us goodness and happiness. The Ark remains open during the entire service, signifying that the gates of heaven are wide open to our prayers. Greeting friendsSend a friend your Yom Kippur wishes: Families Can Enrich Yom Kippur Observance at Home—Clickhere to make a tzedakah box and start the year off right.
Clickhere to find ways to discuss teshuvah with your children or grandchildren
Click here to find Yom Kippur-related craft directions
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