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Sep. 15, 2002
Yom Kippur brings virtual shutdown of country; security, emergency services on alert
By THE JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Israel will virtually shut down Sunday night for the 25-hour period of Yom Kippur.
Public transportation, including flights to and from Ben Gurion Airport, will end early in the afternoon. One exception is a plane from Bucharest to Tel Aviv that was delayed earlier in the day by a false bomb threat. That plane has been given permission to land later in the afternoon.
Businesses will end their day early, and public radio and TV will go off the air. Domestic newspapers, including the Jerusalem Post, will not publish Monday editions.
Traffic lights will be turned off, and virtually all streets will be free of cars. Thousands of children will ride bicycles, scooters, skateboards and skates in the street.
Emergency services, such as Magen David Adom, will be on high alert through the holiday. An expected heat wave is causing concern about health effects on people observing the complete Yom Kippur fast.
The IDF imposed a general closure on Judea, Samaria, and the Gaza Strip until early Tuesday morning. During the holiday, all international border crossings will be closed to travelers, including the Karni and Sufa crossings into the Gaza Strip.
The army said it will allow access in case of humanitarian assistance.
The IDF Spokesman said all Israelis are barred from entering areas under Palestinian control.
Many Jews in synagogues in Israel and elsewhere are expected to say a special new prayer on Yom Kippur for the victims of terrorism in Israel. The new prayer has been distributed throughout US synagogues by One Family-Israel Emergency Solidarity Fund.
In the US, the prayer has been endorsed by Reform, Conservative and Orthodox congregations.
Synagogues are expected to be jammed tonight for the holiday's beginning and the Kol Nidre prayers.
Special introductory and learners' services for secular Israelis and new immigrants will be held throughout the country at 140 community centers and other locations. The number of locales this year is double that of a year ago. The program, an initiative of Deputy Foreign Minister Michael Melchior, drew more than 6,000 people last year.
In some locations, discussion of the holiday and its significance will be held in Russian.
Memorial services for those killed in the 1973 the Yom Kippur War will be held Tuesday at military cemeteries. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and other dignitaries are scheduled to attend the main ceremony at Mt. Herzl cemetery in Jerusalem Tuesday morning.
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