Israel on alert for most sacred Jewish day

[Shammu]

Israel on alert for most sacred Jewish day
Marius Schattner
AFP
September 21, 2007

JERUSALEM --   Israel shut off the Palestinian territories for the holy Jewish day of atonement, and went on alert for a possible attack, 34 years after Syria and Egypt launched a surprise assault that sparked war.

"In light of the significant terror threat during the Yom Kippur Jewish holiday, and according to the decision of the defense minister, a general closure will be implemented in [the West Bank] and the Gaza Strip," the army said.

The closure came into effect overnight, and is scheduled to be lifted at midnight [2200 GMT] Saturday. Only those in need of humanitarian aid will be allowed to cross from the Palestinian territories into Israel during the lockdown.

The security measures, routinely imposed for Israeli public holidays, mean that Palestinians living in the West Bank cannot come to Israel or occupied-and-annexed East Jerusalem, even if they ordinarily have permits to do so.

The lockdown for the holiest day in the Jewish calendar prevents Muslim faithful living in the West Bank from being able to pray at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque compound on the second Friday of the holy month of Ramadan.

Palestinians living in Gaza can only go to Israel under extraordinary circumstances. The Erez terminal between Gaza and Israel, in any case, will be closed, during the holiday, along with all points of entry to the Jewish state.

Police have heightened their alert to level three, one short of the maximum level reserved for times of war, spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

Thousands of officers and auxilliary forces were deployed Friday around markets and public places, and protective measures around synagogues were being increased out of fear of attack, police said.

Yom Kippur is the holiest-and-most-important holiday in Judaism.

The observant neither eat nor drink from sundown Friday until sundown Saturday, as they pray for forgiveness for their sins.

Israel suspends all TV and radio broadcasts, stops all public transport, and closes ports and airports during the holiday, along with entertainment venues.

This year is the 34th anniversary of the start of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, when Egypt and Syria launched a surprise assault on Israel that cost the lives of 2,700 Israelis, and that continues to haunt the Jewish state.

The holiday marks the end of 10 days of penitence, beginning on Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year.

On Yom Kippur, Jews ask God to forgive their sins committed during the previous year. The faithful also believe that on Yom Kippur, God judges Jews and determines their destiny, deciding who will live and who will die.

Sins against others are not pardoned on this day, however, with forgiveness being granted only after a personal approach to the person sinned against.

At the end of Yom Kippur, prayers are offered at Judaism's most sacred shrine, the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Israel on alert for most sacred Jewish day

[Shammu]

As Jewish people in Jerusalem and around the world stop for a fast day to mark Judaism's Holiest Day, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, Israel shuts off the Palestinian territories and at the same time remembers the surprise assault by Egypt and Syria that sparked a war some 34 years ago.

The entire nation of Israel shuts down for the twenty-five hour fast as the Jews seek forgiveness from God for the last years transgressions, using the fast day in lieu of the Yom Kippur sacrifice at the temple since there is no temple in Jerusalem.

By Jimmy DeYoung

Yom Kippur, the Jewish Holy Day of Atonement, looks back to Biblical times. It also has a prophetic significance, that is according to Bible prophecy.

As Jews in Jerusalem and around the world stop to observe the Jewish Holy day of Yom Kippur, they are reminded how the High Priest at the temple in Jerusalem would enter into the Holy of Holies with the sacrificial blood to pour it on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant.

During the ten days leading up to Yom Kippur, starting on Rosh Hashana, Jews were to seek forgiveness from family, friends, loved ones and neighbors for any trespass over the last year.

This act of seeking forgiveness is a part of the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, as the Jews seek to be included in the Book of Life and during temple times their sins would be covered for one year, until the next Yom Kippur.

Now without the temple, Jews give money, do good deeds and pray along with the twenty-five hour fast on Yom Kippur. Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah, will in the future fulfill the prophetic aspect of Yom Kippur as He did the other Jewish Feast Days in the spring 2,000 years ago.

Jesus was crucified on Passover, buried on Unleavened Bread, and rose from the dead on the Feast of First Fruits. Jesus, in the future, will come back to earth on Rosh Hashana, and ten days later will enter the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur, for the purpose of giving salvation to all Jews at that time, Zechariah 3:9 and Ezekiel 43:1-7. Indeed Bible prophecy will be fulfilled.