More than a hundred Jewish students, faculty and community members gathered at Gerlinger Lounge on Wednesday night at sundown to observe the start of Yom Kippur, the “Day of Atonement.”
Meir Goldstein, a fifth-year rabbinical student, came to Eugene to lead the Wednesday night service.
“We’re here to ask God for forgiveness,” Goldstein said. “To remove the stumbling blocks that keep us from getting closer to God.”
Andi Lipstein, program director of the Oregon Hillel, said Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the Days of Awe – the time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – are opportunities to look back on the past year and right all wrongs and seek forgiveness from God and others.
“It’s misguided to wish someone a Happy Yom Kippur,” Lipstein said. “It’s a thoughtful and reflective time for the Jewish community.”
The Holy Day of Yom Kippur is a 25-hour Sabbath that began before sunset on Wednesday evening and ends after nightfall today. Regarded as the day of the year when Jews are closest to God, Yom Kippur is a time to reflect on the past year, atone for sins and refrain from work, eating and drinking – including water. Other rules of Yom Kippur restrict bathing, brushing your teeth, engaging in sex, wearing animal products and using beauty/hygiene products such as cosmetics and deodorants.
Today, Yom Kippur services will be held in Gerlinger Lounge. Mincha (afternoon prayer) will be followed by the Ne’ila service at 6 p.m. Ne’ila is said after Mincha as the sun is going down and means closing, referring to the closing of the gates of prayer as Yom Kippur is ending. Following Ne’ila, a shofar, or a ram’s-horn trumpet, is sounded, signifying the end of Yom Kippur. After Mincha and Ne’ila, participants will break their fasts at 7:30 p.m.
Rachel Rothstein, a senior family and human services major, was raised in an egalitarian Conservative Jewish home and wears a kipa, a Jewish head covering, to Jewish services. Traditionally the kipa was worn only by men but progressive movements for equality between the sexes in the practice of Judaism has led some non-Orthodox women to wear kippot.
Because Yom Kippur prohibits work during the 25-hour Sabbath, Rothstein said she gets frustrated when trying to balance her faith with academics, particularly with taking the day off from school.
“Last year was OK because Yom Kippur was on a Saturday,” Rothstein said. “This year I’m missing a quiz and all sorts of stuff. I worked it out with my professors, and most of them were understanding, but in FHS, there’s all sorts of projects. It’s a struggle.”
Rothstein isn’t alone in her struggle. University undergraduate student Sara Raposo said she was going to try fasting this year for Yom Kippur, but because of her busy school schedule she won’t be able to attend services.
“Before college, it wasn’t as difficult to balance school and Yom Kippur,” Raposo said. “It’s a lot more difficult now, and there’s a big difference in the workload. I have a lot of homework this week and a paper due on Friday.”
Ben David, President of Oregon Hillel’s Student Leadership Board and Judaic/Religious studies major, said while finding balance can be difficult, he struggles less than others.
“Studying religion, my faith and academics overlap a lot,” David said. “It gives me a good chance to question my spirituality and find a nice balance between my Jewish community and my academic community.”

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