Yom Kippur, or 'Day of Atonement,' is the holiest of Jewish holidays when observant Jews atone for the sins of the past year and the nation of Israel comes to almost a complete standstill. (10 images)
A Jewish man prays before the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site in Jerusalem's Old City, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008. Yom Kippur, or "Day of Atonement," is the holiest of Jewish holidays when observant Jews atone for the sins of the past year and the nation comes to almost a complete standstill. AP / Kevin Frayer
A Jewish man holds a child as he prays during morning prayers before the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site in Jerusalem's Old City, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008. AP / Kevin Frayer
A Jewish family pray together during morning prayers before the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site in Jerusalem's Old City, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008. AP / Kevin Frayer
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish are seen as butchers cut slaughtered chickens killed as part of a Kaparot ritual in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in Mea Shearim religious neighborhood in Jerusalem, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008. The ritual is performed before the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish year which starts at sundown Wednesday. The chicken is then slaughtered and given to charity. AP / Bernat Armangue
An Ultra-Orthodox Jew swings a chicken over the head of an Israeli girl as she prays as part of a Kaparot ritual in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in Mea Shearim ultra-orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008. AP / Tara Todras-Whitehill
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish children look at chickens slaughtered as part of a Kaparot ritual, in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in Mea Shearim religious neighborhood in Jerusalem, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008. AP / Bernat Armangue
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man swings a chicken over his children's head, as part of a Kaparot ritual in which it is believed that one transfers one's sins from the past year into the chicken, in Mea Shearim ultra-orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem, Monday, Oct. 6, 2008. AP / Bernat Armangue
A Jewish man prays during morning prayers before the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site in Jerusalem's Old City, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008. AP / Kevin Frayer
Israelis walk in the middle of an empty street after sundown, marking the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in downtown Jerusalem, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008. AP / Tara Todras-Whitehill
An Israeli man reads in a park at the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur in Jerusalem, Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2008. AP / Bernat Armangue
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