    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2008, Book II)]
    [October 7, 2008]
    [Page 1288]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message on the Observance of Yom Kippur, 5769
    October 7, 2008

        For on this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you;
    from all your sins shall ye be clean before the LORD.

                                                             Leviticus 16:30

        Yom Kippur is the Jewish Day of Atonement and the most holy day in
    the Jewish faith. From the time the Kol Nidre is recited until the
    Shofar is sounded, Jews around the world will draw nearer to God through
    acts of atonement, fasting, and prayer. Jewish tradition teaches that on
    Yom Kippur, God remembers every name, listens to every petition, and
    offers forgiveness to the repentant.
        On this day, Americans are reminded of the great blessings of
    religious freedom and the unalienable rights bestowed upon all people by
    the Creator of life. May God grant us peace, comfort, and hope for all
    the challenges we may face in the year ahead.
        Laura and I send our best wishes for a
    blessed day and a most meaningful fast.

                                                              George W. Bush

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