Yom Kippur 2026

When Is Yom Kippur in 2026?

In 2026, Yom Kippur falls on September 20. The observance lasts 1 day (~25 hours, sundown to nightfall). Because Yom Kippur follows a 10 Tishrei, Hebrew lunisolar calendar; begins at sundown, ends at nightfall the next day, the exact Gregorian date shifts each year. Begins at sundown (start of 10 Tishrei) and ends at nightfall the following Gregorian day. In Israel, it is the de facto national day of rest: roads empty, broadcasting stops, and the entire country observes. Outside Israel, observance varies by community; the 25-hour fast is universal among observant Jews. Since Yom Kippur's date changes from year to year, here are the dates for the next five years so you can plan ahead: Year Date 2026 September 20 2027 October 10 2028 September 29 2029 September 18 2030 October 7

What Time Does Yom Kippur Start in Your Time Zone?

Like all Jewish holidays, Yom Kippur runs from sunset to nightfall (when three stars are visible), making it approximately 25 hours long. In 2026, Yom Kippur begins at sunset on Sunday, September 20 and ends at nightfall on Monday, September 21. The fast begins at sunset local time, so Jews in different time zones start and end the fast at different clock times — but for the same total duration. The end of the fast is determined by the appearance of three stars in the sky, which means that the fast is shorter in tropical regions near the equator (where night falls quickly) and longer at higher latitudes (where dusk lingers). In Jerusalem in September, the fast ends around 7:00 PM; in New York, around 7:15 PM; in London, around 7:45 PM. Communities far north — say, in Stockholm or Helsinki — may not see three stars until 9:00 PM or later, requiring guidance from rabbis on when the fast can be broken. The table below shows the observance date for Yom Kippur in major time zones around the world: Location Observance Date Time Zone New York, USA September 20 EST/EDT (UTC-5/-4) London, UK September 20 GMT/BST (UTC+0/+1) New Delhi, India September 20 IST (UTC+5:30) Sydney, Australia September 20 AEST/AEDT (UTC+10/+11) Dubai, UAE September 20 GST (UTC+4)

The Story Behind Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur — the Day of Atonement — is the holiest day of the Jewish year, a 25-hour fast devoted entirely to repentance, confession, and seeking forgiveness from God and fellow human beings. Observed on the 10th of Tishrei, ten days after Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur is the climax of the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe), during which Jews believe God seals the books of life and death for the coming year. The biblical source for Yom Kippur is Leviticus 16, which describes the ritual the high priest was to perform in the Temple in Jerusalem on the 10th of Tishrei: he would enter the Holy of Holies, the innermost sanctum of the Temple, only on this one day of the year, and would confess the sins of the people over the head of a scapegoat — a goat that was then sent into the wilderness, symbolically carrying away the people's iniquities. From this ritual comes the English word "scapegoat." Since the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, Yom Kippur has been observed without the sacrificial rituals, replaced by prayer, fasting, and confession. The theological emphasis has shifted from priestly atonement to personal and communal repentance. The Talmud teaches that Yom Kippur atones for sins between humans and God, but for sins between one person and another, the day only atones if the wrongdoer has first sought forgiveness from the person they wronged. This distinction puts relational repair at the center of the Days of Awe.

How Yom Kippur Is Celebrated

Yom Kippur is observed with a complete 25-hour fast — no food, no water — from sunset to nightfall the following day. Additional restrictions prohibit bathing, wearing leather shoes, anointing with oils or perfumes, and sexual relations. The point of these restrictions is to strip away physical comforts and focus entirely on spiritual matters. Children under 13 (for boys) or 12 (for girls), pregnant and nursing women, and those with medical conditions are exempted from the fast. The day is spent almost entirely in synagogue, with five distinct services: Kol Nidre (the eve service, named for its famous legal-formula opening), Shacharit (morning service), Musaf (additional service), Mincha (afternoon service), and Neilah (the closing service as the sun sets). The liturgy is long and dense, dominated by confessions of sin (the Vidui) recited in the plural — "we have sinned" — because all Jews are responsible for one another. The service ends with a single long blast of the shofar, after which the congregation breaks into exclamations of "L'shanah haba'ah b'Yerushalayim" — "next year in Jerusalem." Before the fast begins, families share a festive pre-fast meal (se'udat mafseket) that often includes round challah, soup, and chicken. After the fast is broken — traditionally with a light meal of bagels, lox, cream cheese, and kugel — communities gather for a celebratory break-fast. White clothing is worn in synagogue to symbolize purity, and the Torah scrolls are dressed in white rather than their usual decorative covers. Some communities recite the Yizkor memorial service for deceased family members during the morning service. Why Does Yom Kippur Move Every Year? Yom Kippur falls on the 10th of Tishrei, exactly ten days after Rosh Hashanah (the 1st of Tishrei). The Hebrew calendar's lunisolar system, with leap months added seven times in 19 years, keeps Yom Kippur anchored in September or October. The earliest possible date for Yom Kippur is September 14; the latest is October 14. The rabbis established rules to prevent Yom Kippur from falling on a Friday or Sunday, which would create consecutive fast-Sabbath combinations that present practical difficulties (one cannot cook for the Sabbath on Yom Kippur). If the lunar calculation would put Yom Kippur on a Friday or Sunday, Rosh Hashanah is shifted by a day, which in turn shifts Yom Kippur. This is why the Yom Kippur date in our future-dates table doesn't simply move backward by 11 days each year — the rabbinic adjustments smooth the pattern.

Calendar Calculation

10 Tishrei, Hebrew lunisolar calendar; begins at sundown, ends at nightfall the next day

Traveling for Yom Kippur? Where to Go

Yom Kippur is the day on which Jews — including many who are not otherwise observant — make a point of being in synagogue, which means travel often centers on getting to a synagogue with family. In Israel, the entire country effectively shuts down: no cars on the streets, no radio or television broadcasts, no commerce. Bicycling on the empty streets has become a secular Israeli tradition. In the diaspora, Jewish families often travel to be with parents or to attend services at a meaningful synagogue. Top destinations for this holiday: Jerusalem: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. New York City: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Tel Aviv: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. Cape Town: — A popular destination with significant celebrations and cultural events. If you're planning to travel for yom kippur, compare hotel rates and book early — accommodations in Jerusalem fill up weeks before the festival. [Search hotels for Yom Kippur travel →]

Did You Know? Yom Kippur Facts & Trivia

Yom Kippur is the only day of the year on which Orthodox Jewish men wear a tallit (prayer shawl) for the evening service — tallitot are normally worn only for morning prayers. The exception symbolizes the special holiness of the day. In Israel, Yom Kippur is the one day of the year when virtually the entire country shuts down. There is no television or radio broadcast, no public transportation, and virtually no traffic on the streets. Many secular Israelis take to bicycles on the empty roads, creating an impromptu national cycling day. The Kol Nidre prayer — which opens the Yom Kippur evening service — is a legal formula annulling all personal vows made in the coming year. Its haunting melody, sung in Aramaic, is one of the most recognizable pieces of Jewish liturgical music. The fast of Yom Kippur lasts approximately 25 hours — from sunset to nightfall the following day. The fast is one of complete abstinence: no food, no water, no bathing, no leather shoes, no anointing with oils, and no sexual relations. Children under 13 (boys) or 12 (girls), pregnant and nursing women, and the medically ill are exempted.