Israeli Jews to observe Yom Kippur as war rages on two fronts

Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Preparations for the solemn Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, when the observant atone for their sins through fasting and prayer, were underway in Israel Thursday amid a time of war on multiple fronts.

This year, marked as 5785 on the Hebrew calendar, fasting will begin Friday at sunset, 5:35 p.m. local time in Jerusalem and at 5:52 p.m. in Tel Aviv, and will end Saturday at sunset.

During the Day of Atonement, prayers such as the Kol Nidre, Aravit and the Shacharit are recited to reflect on one's past transgressions and to achieve spiritual purification during a full day of communal worship services.

It is a day when observant Jews deny themselves all physical pleasures such as eating, drinking, smoking, bathing and sexual relations while asking God for forgiveness and acknowledging their fates are in His hands.

Another aspect of Yom Kippur is the Kapparot , a traditional ritual performed by many Orthodox Jews on the eve of the holy day. It involves a person swinging a live chicken above their head three times and then killing it, thereby asking God to acknowledge the animal as a stand-in for themselves and to atone by slaughtering it. The chickens are then donated to charity.

The practice has always been controversial among Israelis, many of whom consider it an outdated ritual rather than a true religious ceremony. it is also harshly condemned by animal rights activists as a cruel custom.

Even as Yom Kippur is unfolding across Israel this weekend, the nation is at war on two fronts, against Iranian proxy groups Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon . The wartime footing is affecting the religious observance -- including the possibility that Israel may choose to retaliate against Iran for its Oct. 1 missile attack during the holiday.

The Israeli Home Front Command on Thursday issued safety recommendations regarding emergency alerts during the observance, the Jerusalem Post reported . The government said real-time alerts and instructions will be available throughout the holiday on the Home Front Command app.