Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur
State Medal, 1993/5753

Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is unique in its holiness and purpose: forgiveness of each individual and of the Jewish people for their sins. This is the culmination of the Ten Days of Repentance which begin with Rosh Hashana (the New Year). This is the only day during which worshippers in the synagogue wrap themselves in the prayer shawl for evening as well as morning prayer. The Torah declares that on Yom Kippur all sins will be forgiven (Leviticus 16:30), our Sages interpreted that only those sins made by man against the Lord will be pardoned, while those made against a fellow man will be forgiven only upon direct reconciliation. The closing prayer concludes with the blowing of the Shofar, a ram's horn.

Obverse: A talit (prayer shawl) and the Hebrew words "repentance, prayer and charity". Below, along the circumference, the words "YOM KIPPUR" in Hebrew and Latin letters.

Reverse: Engraving upon an Ark of the Covenant of the 14th century. In the center, the Hebrew inscription: "forgive a holy people on this sacred day". On either side of the ark, a shofar.

Edge: State emblem with the words "STATE OF ISRAEL' in Hebrew on the right and in English on the left and serial number. Bronze/tombac medal - "BRONZE" in Hebrew and English; Silver medal - "Silver 935" in Hebrew and English; gold medal - milled.

Serialization: Bronze/tombac and silver medals are numbered.

Designer: Obverse - Nathan Karp. Reverse -Ruben Nutels.

Engraving: Kretschmer.

Mint: Bronze/tombac and gold - Kretschmer. Silver - The Government Mint