Yom Kippur,  the Day of Atonement - perhaps the most sacred day in the Jewish calendar begins here in Israel in just 10 minutes.  

This is a day when we fast, pray and, above all, reflect on the year gone by and how each of behaved as a human being towards family, friends, colleagues and the people we came into contact with on a daily basis - shop assistants, bank clerks, gas pump attendants.

It is a time when we ask forgiveness from those we have hurt or offended or wronged.  It is a time to look inwards into our hearts and souls and to commune with the Lord Our God.

Coming after the Jewish New Year,  the Day of Atonement marks the closing of the Book of Life.  A metaphor for what we have done, how we treated others and what sort of person we were during the previous year.  

At the end of Yom Kippur, the Book of Life is "signed and sealed" - this is our last chance to repent and make our peace.  That is why one of the greetings we use on this Holy day if "Gmar Hatima Tova"- May the signing and closure of the Book of Life be good.

But it is not enough to say a prayer, to ask forgiveness if it is empty of content and sincerity,  When we stand before God in the synagogue and ask for His forgiveness, it will only be forthcoming is we do so with sincerity and with the real intent to change our ways.

On this immensely spiritual occasion - we would like to wish all of our friends, regardless of religion or belief,  Shana Tova and Gmar Hatima Tova.  May this coming year be one in which we all grow as human beings, where we learn to respect and honor our fellow man  and treat them as we would wish to be treated.

Adi Zahavi, Philip Barnea, Ken Klienman