Yom Kippur 2024 starts Friday at sundown

CHICAGO -- Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement and holiest of the High Holy Days, starts at sundown Friday.

Yom Kippur is observed with a full day of fasting from sundown to sundown, as well as rituals and prayer at synagogues across the Chicago area. The observation is concluded with a break fast meal with family and community.

Judaism's High Holy Days annually provide an emotional mix of celebration, introspection and atonement for Jews worldwide. This year, for many, the emotions will be extraordinarily powerful, given that the midpoint of the 10 days spanning Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is Oct. 7, the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and triggered the still-ongoing war in Gaza.

For Jews in the U.S., the past year has been challenging in many ways linked to Oct. 7. There's been a surge in antisemitic incidents, and many college campuses were wracked by divisive pro-Palestinian protests. Jews grieved for those killed or taken hostage by Hamas; many also grieved for the Palestinians subsequently killed during Israel's military offensive in Gaza.

ABC7 Chicago contributed to this report