[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book II)]
[October 6, 2000]
[Page 2065]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Message on the Observance of Yom Kippur, 2000
October 6, 2000

     Warm greetings to all those observing Yom Kippur.
     This Day of Atonement, the most solemn of all the days of the 
Jewish calendar, is a time for intense prayer, fasting, and reflection. 
For the duration of Yom Kippur, Jews across America and around the world 
separate themselves from the comforts and distractions of everyday life 
to focus on repairing their relationship with God. It is a time to look 
back on the failures and transgressions of the past year, to make 
amends, and to seek God's forgiveness.
     In neighborhoods across our nation, as Jewish families gather for 
Yom Kippur services, they offer people of all faiths an extraordinary 
witness. They remind us of the power of faith that changes lives, the 
love of family that strengthens spirits, and the blessing of God's 
forgiveness that allows us to repent of our sins and begin anew.
     At this difficult time for all of us who have worked for peace, let 
us pray for an end to the violence and for a new beginning in the Middle 
East. Hillary joins me in extending best wishes to all for a meaningful 
Yom Kippur.

                                                            Bill Clinton