Israelis, young and old, filled the nation’s synagogues this evening for the Kol Nidre services that usher in Yom Kippur. Businesses began closing down at noon and work stopped throughout the country as Israelis spent the latter part of the day making last-minute preparations for the Day of Atonement.
The solemn High Holy Day is one on which the complete stoppage of work in Israel affects even those who carry on during other religious holidays with a suspension of airport, telegraph and other communications services.
The only cars visible on the streets on Yom Kippur are ambulances and first aid vehicles with police making their rounds on foot. Foreign diplomats have been advised by the dean of the diplomatic corps not to use their cars.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.