By Zanna Linskaia
Yom Kippur is the holiest day in Judaism, also known as the Day of
Atonement; it is a day when Burquest JCA with Jewish communities
around the world reflects on the past year and asks G-d’s
forgiveness.
I always wonder – why 5782 years we, Jews, still feel guilty, should
confess two lists of sins that most of us had never committed and ask
for that slichot? Christians live easier – make a confession after
crime, bad act or lie, ask forgiveness, and get it till the next sin. For
Muslims any breach of the law in Koran can be punished by brutal
order or even by death.
The answer can be found in Kol Nidre, a legal formula – prayer of Yom
Kippur, written in Aramaic, a language related to Hebrew. The Kol
Nidre is intended to free Jews from obligations which they have made
to God. For many centuries our enemies would point it as evidence
that Jews could not be trusted and the growing anti-Semitism and
hate all over the world toward Jews and Israel are examples.
Jews become the scapegoats no the first neither the last time in the
history of humankind. Paradoxically, for dishonest or criminal people
it’s almost impossible to accept their own sins and instead of
repentance, they sent courses and malice to others.
However, in the Jewish understanding Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur
services only deal with the relations between God and humanity. In
Jewish believe you have to ask forgiveness directly - the one, you
hurt - be it God or another person.
This year again like during two decades, BJCA President Rudy
Rozanski will end Yom Kippur services by Tokea of Shofar– sounds
of freedom, forgiveness and hope.
