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Thousands to attend Yom Kippur prayer, study at community centers
By Irit Rosenblum, Haaretz Correspondent

Thousands are expected to participate prayer and study groups on Yom Kippur in 250 locations around the country - including kibbutzim. For the eighth year in a row, the Tzohar forum of rabbis in cooperation with Beyahad, the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Israel Association of Community Centers is running the prayer and study conferences. They will be held in community centers and schools all over the country, including kibbutzim and moshavim.

"Praying together," as the initiative is called, is targeted at the non-religious community and emphasizes a friendly and approachable service during the Yom Kippur fast this Saturday.

Tzohar expectes a record turnout this year of about 40,000.

This year's innovations include a service for Ethiopian Jews according to their own unique customs. Female volunteers will attend each service to accompany and assist women who attend.

Israelis from all walks and groups, who prefer not to attend regular synagogue services for various reasons, can participate in the services in "neutral" locations such as community centers and schools. The intention is to provide a friendly, home-like atmosphere that still allows both religious and non-religious to pray the traditional Yom Kippur prayers in a relaxed fashion. The format allows for discussion and learning of matters relating to the day and Jewish culture - in the framework of a multi-sided discussion and social activities.

Every participant will receive a holiday prayer book prepared specially for the day, with the parts of the service clearly marked. The book includes explanations of the various customs, such as when to stand.

Religious volunteers were enlisted to lead the sessions, and they received special training from Tzohar on how to handle the varied congregations.

Each group will be provided with kits including prayer books in Hebrew and Russian, skullcaps and explanations. A special emphasis has been made to use facilities accessible to people with disabilities.

Thousands to attend Yom Kippur prayer, study at community centers (http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/905185.html)

Yom Kippur is this Friday.

Yom Kippur War

The Yom Kippur War, Ramadan War or October War, also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to October 26, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria. The war began with a surprise joint attack by Egypt and Syria on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. Egypt and Syria crossed the cease-fire lines in the Sinai and Golan Heights, respectively, which had been captured by Israel in 1967 during the Six-Day War.

The Egyptians and Syrians advanced during the first 24–48 hours, after which momentum began to swing in Israel's favor. By the second week of the war, the Syrians had been pushed entirely out of the Golan Heights. In the Sinai to the south, the Israelis struck at the "seam" between two invading Egyptian armies, crossed the Suez Canal (where the old ceasefire line had been), and cut off the Egyptian Third Army just as a United Nations cease-fire came into effect.

The war had far-reaching implications for many nations. The Arab World, which had been humiliated by the lopsided defeat of the Egyptian-Syrian-Jordanian alliance during the Six-Day War, felt psychologically vindicated by its string of victories early in the conflict, despite the endstate. This vindication paved the way for the peace process that followed, as well as liberalizations such as Egypt's infitah policy. The Camp David Accords, which came soon after, led to normalized relations between Egypt and Israel—the first time any Arab country had recognized the Israeli state. Egypt, which had already been drifting away from the Soviet Union, then left the Soviet sphere of influence entirely.

On June 19, 1967, the National Unity Government of Israel voted unanimously to return the Sinai to Egypt and the Golan Heights to Syria in return for peace agreements. The Golans would have to be demilitarized and special arrangement would be negotiated for the Straits of Tiran. The government also resolved to open negotiations with King Hussein of Jordan regarding the Eastern border. Sound familiar??