This is a postcard with a drawing of a synagogue before the start of Yom Kippur. At the back of the synagogue, two men are greeting each other warmly – presumably with the traditional greeting of “Gmar Chatima Tova” - May you be sealed (in the Book of Life). In the pews are a man sitting and holding an open prayer book and next to him a young boy seated on a stool. In the front pew an old bearded man, perhaps the rabbi, is blessing a boy. The boy stands in front of the man with his head bent, and the man places his hand on the boy’s head. A tallit (prayer shawl) is draped over the pew, since in the Yom Kippur evening services, unlike all other evening services, the tallit is worn. The men are also depicted wearing white robes, a kittel, a traditional garment for this service among Ashkenazi Jews. At the back of the synagogue is a seven-branched menorah. The caption at the bottom of the drawing reads: “Yom Kippur Eve before Kol Nidrei” in Hebrew and German. The traditional Yom Kippur greeting, “Gmar Chatima Tova” is written in Hebrew on the side.
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Yom Kippur – Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Jewish year. The date of Yom Kippur is 10 Tishrei, and it marks the end of the ten-day period beginning with Rosh Hashanah which is called the High Holy Days and the Ten Days of Repentance. According to tradition, God evaluates each person’s life and writes their name in either the Book of Life or the Book of Death during the Ten Days of Repentance; on Yom Kippur, the books are sealed. While reflection and prayer take place throughout the ten days, Yom Kippur is the most solemn day, and it is traditional to pray, fast, and refrain from bathing and wearing leather shoes. It is also traditional to give tzedakah (charity), during this time period. Another unusual custom is wearing a tallit for all of the prayers, when it is usually only worn during the day, and in some communities men wear a special white robe named a kittel. There are five services on Yom Kippur, beginning with the Kol Nidrei prayer and the Maariv service in the evening. Prayers are resumed the following day with Shacharit (morning service) and the Musaf (additional service) which includes a description of the special ceremonies that took place in the Temple on Yom Kippur. Later in the day is the Mincha service, during which the Book of Jonah is read, and the day comes to close with the Neilah service, considered to be the final opportunity to ask God to be written in the Book of Life, which ends with the congregation saying the Shema and the blowing of the shofar.
Kol Nidrei – Kol Nidrei is the name of the prayer that begins Yom Kippur. It is recited before sundown and extends until Yom Kippur begins. Although the origins of Kol Nidrei aren’t certain, it was known to have been an accepted part of the Yom Kippur liturgy by 1000 CE. Kol Nidrei, which literally means “all the vows,” is a declaration that any annuls vows that the congregation might make in the coming year that are rash, unconsidered, or impossible to keep. It does not refer to vows made between people but rather between people and God. The prayer is recited three times while standing before the open ark. The emotional aspects of the prayer and its beautiful melodies have made it the quintessential Yom Kippur prayer which ushers in the special atmosphere of the day.
