[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book II)]
[September 24, 1993]
[Page 1595]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Message on the Observance of Yom Kippur, 1993
September 24, 1993

    My heartfelt greetings to all who are observing Yom Kippur in this 
momentous year of history and hope.
    Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is a holy day that provides the 
opportunity to seek forgiveness and to enter the new year with a clean 
conscience and a clear purpose. It is a chance to seek pardon and to ask 
divine guidance for self-improvement. Yom Kippur emphasizes the 
importance of honoring the memories of loved ones no longer living, but 
still remembered. Above all, Yom Kippur recognizes the need to repair 
personal relationships--relationships with friends and family, with God, 
with those who live on in our memories, and with those for whom we may 
have previously felt animosity.
    With the recent signing of the agreement between Israel and the 
Palestine Liberation Organization, this Yom Kippur is particularly 
significant. It is my wish that people of all cultures and faiths will 
pledge their active support and energy to help achieve a new era of 
peace and hope in the Middle East and for the entire world. This will 
take courage and commitment. As Foreign Minister Peres so eloquently 
stated at the signing ceremony, ``Deep gaps call for lofty bridges.''
    On this most solemn day, let all of us reflect on the enormous 
challenges that lie ahead. Let us dedicate ourselves to the next 
generation, and together we will usher in a true season of peace.

                                                            Bill Clinton