Yom Kippur is one of the High Holidays in the Jewish religion. It is the Day of Atonement where we fast and go to temple to repent for our sins and wrong-doings. The Jewish days go sundown to sunrise, so Jews stop eating after sundown and do not break the fast until sundown the next day. This means no food or drinks for 24 hours.

When I explain this to people, I get a lot of gasps and then, “How do you do it?!” You just do. I’ve been fasting since I was in about 5th grade so I’m used to it by now. However, it’s still not that easy. There are many thoughts that run through my mind during my fasting time so I thought I’d share them.

The night before

You and your family stuff yourself with as much food/drinks as possible before heading to temple

The next day

You wake up and you’re not immediately hungry, you feel great!

Then you get to temple and you start to feel a little peckish so you try and trick yourself into thinking you're having a good time

Then you take your bathroom break and you realize that you’re only half way through the service

Then your cool older relative nudges you and gives you that “it’s time to go” look

Then you get back home and decide to turn on the TV

But of course there’s a food commercial

Then one of your siblings caves even though you were supposed to be in this together

Then you remind yourself you have to be stronger than them

Then you look at the clock because surely it must be almost sundown but it's only 2:00

Then you’re counting down the minutes until it’s time to eat again

Then you smell your mom cooking dinner

Then it’s finally time to eat and everyone crowds around the table of food

Then you know you're full but you just appreciate food so much

And then you're just so content and happy that the day is over and it's finally time for bed

Until next year, g'mar hatima tova!