How soldiers on duty observe Yom KippurYom Kippur is well known for its 25-hour fast, but there are also a variety of other traditions and religious laws for the day. During the holiday, which starts this year at sundown on Friday, September 13, observant Jews do not wash, bathe, apply lotions or oils to the skin or wear leather shoes.
The Mikvah: Some soldiers observe the custom of immersing in a ritual bath before Yom Kippur. For soldiers who do not have access to a ritual bath, they fulfill the tradition by taking a three-minute shower, the equivalent of 12.5 liters of water.
Leather Shoes: All soldiers are exempt from wearing the leather IDF boots that are part of the standard uniform. Soldiers are entitled to wear their own personal shoes made from canvas, rubber, or in some cases, sandals. Soldiers who are in areas that require sturdy footwear, such as in fields with snakes or scorpions, are permitted to wear theirleather bootsuntil they are finished with the work that requires the leather boots. They may afterward switch back into non-leather shoes.
Prayer: Almost every base has a synagogue in one form or another. Before the holiday, the IDF Rabbinate ensures that every IDF base has enough of the special Yom Kippur prayer books. Cantors are sent to many bases around Israel in order to lead the intense prayer services.
The Fast: Soldiers who are not on active duty are able to fast, but while on duty are allowed to have the equivalent of a capful of water and a tiny amount of food every nine minutes. The intervals are shortened depending on the intensity of the situation. Some soldiers are not able to fast at all due to their line of work. Refraining from food and water while on duty be dangerous for the soldier and for national security since it could distract from a soldier’s abilities.
For more on Yom Kippur in the IDF, follow the link above!