By Jordan Kalik, Charleston, South Carolina, Young Judaea Year Course

 

My first Yom Kippur spent in Israel was definitely one to remember.  After looking out the window, watching bus after bus of Chasidim traveling to the Holy City of Jerusalem for the chag, our group finally arrived in Jerusalem:  the holiest of places for the holiest of holidays. My friends and I settled into our accommodations for the night, cooked, and ate a huge amount of food to stock up for the next 24 hours of fasting.  Feeling temporarily energized, we walked down Emek Refaim St. to people-watch.

 

People-watching on Yom Kippur in Israel is an experience like no other.  Traffic completely stops so Israelis of all ages roam into the middle of even the busiest of streets. This day has been unofficially...