A day of reflection and atonement

by Sean Ruppert, Staff Writer
   Going more than 24 hours without food can be difficult. But some Jews say that fasting is what makes Yom Kippur satisfying.
   ”The fast makes things different, because you are really doing it,” said Gary Ehrlich, of Monmouth Junction, who attends B’nai Tikvah on Finnegans Lane. “Your whole body is in this thing. You are depriving yourself of something to think of something higher. It makes it special, it is the most spiritual time. It is a long, hard day for that reason, but it is also special for that reason.”
   The holiday, known as the Day of Atonement, is the last of the 10 days of repentance that begin with Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year. The day is spent in contemplative prayer, when Jews think of their sins and transgressions and ask God for forgiveness. A fast, which began at sundown Wednesday, is carried out until the conclusion of ceremonies, today (Thursday) at the synagogue. This is typically about 25 to 26 hours after the fast began.
   ”On Rosh Hashana we have people over for dinner, but Yom Kippur is much more contemplative,” Debbie Allen, of Kendall Park, said. “We don’t use much electricity on that day. We don’t watch TV, my son doesn’t play Wii.
   ”It’s a lot of internal reflection, we don’t confess to the rabbi,” said Ms. Allen, who attends B’nai Tikvah with her family. “It is an introspective, internal dialogue with God, embodied in prayers. We tell God we’ve sinned, we’ve transgressed and we ask you for forgiveness.”
   Mr. Ehrlich said that many Jews set resolutions for improving themselves as people — much like many do for the secular New Year — as well as ask for forgiveness of sins.
   ”You think of how you can do better during the year,” he said. “It always makes me feel good, going to synagogue. If you are remorseful, God will forgive you. Clean the slate and load off the guilt. That is only between you and God though, if you transgressed with another person you still have to level with them as well.”
   B’nai Tikvah Rabbi Robert Wolkoff said that he would follow a theme of “getting it all together,” during Yom Kippur services this year. He said people have a tendency to separate their principles from their practices, and he will encourage them to see their actions in context.
   ”We have a tendency to segment our lives. On one hand we realize that China is a totalitarian country and a human rights disaster. On the other hand we are all willing to rush to Wal-Mart and buy a T-shirt made there because it is a buck cheaper,” Rabbi Wolkoff said.
   ”Even more disastrous is our use of oil. Every president for a while has said we need to get off of it, yet we don’t realize until gas is $4 a gallon. We can’t live our lives as if none of what we do matters.”