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Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. It’s marked by an elaborate and ancient ritual, including a 25-hour fast and intense prayer. Yom Kippur always occurs ten days after Rosh Hashanah, Jewish New Year. So, Yom Kippur happens on a different day every year. In 2028, it will fall on Thursday, October 19. The following year, it will be Tuesday, September 18. This year’s Yom Kippur starts today at sunset and ends with tomorrow’s sunset. Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah are the only Jewish holidays that don’t commemorate historical events. Much of the day is spent in meditation, as well as reading from the Torah and reciting penitential prayers. During Yom Kippur, the faithful set aside their daily work, so they may focus on asking for forgiveness from God and from one another, and also so they may forgive their neighbors and seek reconciliation.