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Yom Kippur
by Sivan Steffens

Every religion has a day, week or month that is considered the holiest of the year. For the Jewish religion, the High Holy Days (beginning with Rosh Hashanah and ending with Yom Kippur) mark the year's pinnacle of holiness. On these ten days, Jewish people prepare themselves for the coming of a new year by atoning for sins committed in the past year. Atonement is a complicated process that involves, among other things, repentance, asking forgiveness from others, a commitment to change harmful habits, increased charity and prayer. To focus more completely on prayer during the holiest of Hebrew days, Yom Kippur, Jewish people take part in a 24-hour fast so that their mind, body and soul may be free from the distraction of physical desires. This fast begins at sunset the day before Yom Kippur and ends at the next sunset.

The Meal Before the Fast
Well before sunset on the day before Yom Kippur, families gather around their dining room table to participate in an extra-special mitzvah (a good deed). This particular mitzvah involves eating a delicious, sustaining meal that will prepare the body for the coming fast. Generally, salty or spicy foods and alcoholic drinks are avoided because they will make the coming fast more difficult.

Remember to drink lots of water and juices before the fast, to keep you well hydrated throughout the fast.

Not Breaking the Fast
One of the most difficult aspects of the fast occurs when everyone returns home to rest between the morning and afternoon services of Yom Kippur. At this time, the cook of the house will often begin cooking and baking to prepare for the evening meal. The house fills with delicious smells and the 2-hour break quickly turns into 2 full hours of hunger pangs for everyone in the household. Arguably, the person who bears the brunt of this difficulty is the cook. So in order to help make the Yom Kippur fast as easy and comfortable as possible for everyone, we've developed a meal that can be prepared (almost completely) days before the fast begins. With a 2-phased Yom Kippur meal plan as clever as this, all you'll have to do is come home, set the food out and eat:

Invariably, someone in your household will be suffering from caffeine withdrawal. Coffee and tea enthusiasts will be extremely grateful if you've taken the time to prepare a pot of coffee (or tea) before leaving for the afternoon service. When you return home from the services, all you (or your guests) will have to do is press START on the coffee pot and caffeine will be on its way!

Post-Fast Prep: Upon returning from services, arrange crackers and vegetables (carrot sticks, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, perhaps) onto a platter, place a pitcher of water on the table and let your guests dive into the appetizers that you made ahead of time. Make sure the cook gets a few bites, too, before heading back into the kitchen to get the main meal moving!

Yom Kippur Meal Phase II: Main Meal

Pre-Fast Prep: Commonly, the Yom Kippur meal is a light one. Because there isn't time to cook before the feast, many families will serve a deli-style buffet. A few days before the fast, make dishes for the main meal that will keep well in the refrigerator.

Post-Fast Prep: Once the appetizers are on the table and the family has had satisfied their initial hunger pangs, the cook can take his or her own time getting around to setting out the main meal. Slice the corned beef into deli-thin slices, arrange them on a platter and recruit the kids to help arrange the condiments on the dining room table. You'll need all of the typical deli fixings: mustard, mayonnaise, olives, pickles and any other family favorites. Have the condiments arranged to follow the pre-made platters of corned beef, sliced bread and bowl of salad. It's time to eat!

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