Next: 11 Oct 2027
Yom Kippur
A day in white: white robes, white prayer shawls and white cloth shoes for the Jewish day of atonement.
The colours of Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, is the most solemn day of the Jewish year, a fast of about twenty-five hours spent largely in prayer. It is kept in white. Many worshippers wear white clothes, and some men wear a kittel, a plain white linen or cotton robe that is also worn at one's wedding and as a burial shroud. The white speaks of purity and of being like the angels, and the shroud is a reminder of how short life is. The prayer shawl, usually worn only in the morning, is put on for the evening service. Leather shoes are not worn, so people come in white canvas or cloth shoes. The ark and the scrolls are dressed in white.
#FDFDFBKittel whiteThe plain robe: purity and mortality.#F2EEDCTallit creamThe wool prayer shawl.#1C1C1CStripe blackThe stripes woven into many prayer shawls.#E9B44CCandle amberThe memorial candle that burns through the fast.Values are fair approximations, not official shades.
Read about the colours
More colours tied to Yom Kippur
Written by the Rang desk with AI assistance. Background: "Yom Kippur" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from family to family and place to place. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Kermes: MyName ( Gryffindor ) stitched by Marku1988 This panoramic image was c, Public domain, source