How to greet somebody observing Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is a holy day in the Jewish calendar that is observed with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer.

It marks the culmination of the Days of Repentance or Days of Awe, a 10-day period of introspection that follows Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which celebrates the anniversary of world’s creation.

Yom Kippur falls on the 10th day of the Jewish month of Tishrei (September or October in the Gregorian calendar).

This year, Yom Kippur begins at sundown on and ends at nightfall on .

How to greet someone on Yom Kippur

The most common Jewish greeting on Yom Kippur is g’mar chatima tovah (pronounced gih-MAR chah-tee-MAH toe-VAH).

The saying means “a good final sealing” – which references the Jewish belief that a person’s fate for the coming year is written on Rosh Hashanah and finalised on Yom Kippur.

It is also polite to greet someone with zom kal (pronounced tzome kahl), which means “easy fast.”

Millions of Jewish families around the world mark the day of Yom Kippur by fasting for 25 hours.

Anyone who must eat due to health reasons will not be required to fast. Children under the age of nine are also exempt. Generally, adults do not work on Yom Kippur; children may also miss school.

Most of the day is spent at the synagogue, where five prayer services are held (instead of the traditional two). These are known as: Maariv, Shacharit, Musaf, Mincha and Neilah.

Maariv includes the recital of a prayer service called Kol Nidre, which takes place on the eve of the holiday.

Yom Kippur concludes with the Neilah service and the blowing of the shofar, an ancient instrument, which marks the conclusion of the fast.

After the service, people usually break the fast and celebrate with a family meal. It is customary to wear white, as a symbol of purity during the day.

As a way to atone and seek God’s forgiveness, some Jews make donations or volunteer their time to charity in the days leading up to the holiday.