[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 40 (Monday, October 9, 1995)]
[Page 1756]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message on the Observance of Yom Kippur

October 2, 1995

    Warm greetings to all who are observing the holy day of Yom Kippur.
    Jews around the world mark this solemn Day of Atonement with 
stringent fasting for the body and careful examination of the soul. Yom 
Kippur is a deeply personal holiday, inviting worshippers to confess 
transgressions and to make reparation for sins, striving in this way to 
reaffirm their bonds with God and to repair and renew human 
relationships.
    Yom Kippur teaches us all that peace and reconciliation can come 
only through committed human effort and humility before God. The 
conclusion of the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement, signed at the 
White House September 28, is a shining example of such resolve. Two 
peoples, divided for generations by conflict, have now taken another 
courageous step toward peace. In this season of renewal, there is more 
reason than ever before to hope that one day soon there will be safety 
in Israel's house and that the clash of arms will be banished from God's 
Holy Land. Let us treasure this lesson in our hearts and work to bring 
healing and harmony to our nation and our world.
    Best wishes for a meaningful and rewarding holiday.
                                                  Bill Clinton