Israelis take to the streets on Yom Kippur
At Yom Kippur, Israel grinds to a halt. For 25 hours, schools, restaurants and businesses shut down, roads empty out as driving is prohibited, and there are no buses, no trains and no planes.
People walk along the empty road in Jerusalem on Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement. While driving is prohibited, every year it seems that a few accidents occur, Oct. 9, 2019. Photo by Sara Klatt/Flash90
Known as the Day of Atonement, it’s the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, when religious Israelis across the country fast and pray, asking for forgiveness.
For others, the abandoned highways beckon, becoming a playground for people of all ages to cycle, rollerblade, skateboard and even do yoga.
This year, Yom Kippur begins on September 15, and ends just after sunset the next day. It’s a day like no other, and completely unique in the world.
