[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 41, Number 41 (Monday, October 17, 2005)]
[Page 1530]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message on the Observance of Yom Kippur, 5766

October 11, 2005

      Seek the Lord while He may be found,
     call unto Him while He is near.
                                                   Isaiah 55:6

    Yom Kippur is the Sabbath of Sabbaths, the most solemn day of the 
Jewish calendar. On this day, Jews around the world reflect on their 
lives and give thanks to God for their many blessings. The Rabbis teach 
that on Yom Kippur, God holds open the gates of Heaven and listens to 
every word of every prayer. As those final prayers are shared and the 
Shofar is sounded, God remembers every name--those living and those 
departed. In this moment, we draw near to God, sharing in the wonders of 
all creation and the miracle of all life.
    Yom Kippur teaches us that we merit forgiveness and mercy through 
repentance, prayer, and acts of charity. May we have the strength to 
achieve all these things, so that we continue to build a more hopeful 
Nation and a more peaceful and free world.
    Laura and I send our best wishes for a blessed day.
                                                George W. Bush

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