Yom Kippur begins at sundown, with observant Jews fasting and seeking forgiveness for their sins on Judaism’s most solemn day of the year.
According to Jewish tradition, Yom Kippur is the day Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the second set of commandment tablets — he had smashed the first — and announced God’s pardon to the people for worshipping a golden calf.
Observant Jews believe that God inscribes the names of the righteous in the Book of Life on Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year, and seals the book on Yom Kippur, 10 days later. For that reason, the traditional greeting among Jews on Yom Kippur is Gemar Chatima Tova, which means “good final sealing” and conveys the wish: “May your name be sealed in the book of life.”
Yom Kippur services begin with the Kol Nidre, an ancient prayer that literally means “all vows” or “all promises.” The last service of the day ends with the sounding of a ram’s horn called a shofar.
Yom Kippur concludes at sundown Monday, ending the 10-day period on the Jewish calendar known as Days of Teshuvah, which is variously translated as repentance, return and change, and the Days of Awe. Many Jews fast on Yom Kippur and spend much of the time in synagogues.
While most congregations require membership and tickets for High Holy Days services, several organizations will conduct free services, including Laugh Factory Hollywood where a 90-minute Kol Nidre service is set for 6 p.m. Sunday, a two-hour service at 11 a.m. Monday and a 90-minute Neilah service at 6 p.m. Monday.
Donations will not be accepted. Instead, the club encourages attendees “to support a charity or cause that is meaningful to you.”
Advance registration at the club’s website, is encouraged, as space is limited.
The services will be streamed on the club’s website, laughfactory.com/hollywood, and its YouTube channel, youtube.com/user/TheLaughFactory.
“People around the world are facing the threat of war, severe economic challenges, and a growing sense of isolation and division,” Laugh Factory owner Jamie Masada said in a statement. “Our High Holiday services are about bringing people together to pray with one voice for hope, healing, and peace. These are values that can inspire and uplift us all.”
The Chai Center will conduct its free services at 6:45 p.m. Sunday, and 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills.
Reservations at chaicenter.org/allevents/highholidays/ are required for admission. People whose names are not on the guest list will not be admitted.
The Chai Center describes itself as “a very nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the Jewish community of Greater Los Angeles” with such events as a “Dinner for 60 Strangers” each Friday evening, classes on a variety of topics of Judaism and singles parties “for Conservative, Reform, non-affiliates and any Jew that moves.”
Reservations for the free services at the JEM Community Center in Beverly Hills can be made at jemcommunitycenter.com/events/yom-kippur-high-holiday-services-2026 and for the free services at the Jewish Community Center in Redondo Beach at jccmb.com/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/4847102/jewish/Tickets.htm.
Free services will also be held at Chabad locations throughout Los Angeles County.
Multiple congregations will be streaming their services, including Stephen Wise Temple at wisela.org/online.
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation will relax enforcement of street cleaning, time limit and preferential parking restrictions in designated areas from noon Sunday to noon Tuesday.
The list of designated areas is available at ladotparking.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Jewish-Holiday-Relaxed-Enforcement.pdf.
Parking meters, tow-away zones and other safety-related restrictions will continue to be enforced.
As is customary, law enforcement organizations will conduct increased patrols around Jewish institutions during Yom Kippur services, augmented by private security.