How to Find Yom Kippur Prayers in English

Many of the major holiday can be found online in English translation.

Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day of Atonement, contains the greatest volume of prayer of any single day in the Jewish year. The holiday begins with a Kol Nidre service as the sun sets and prayer services continue the next morning and are held almost continuously until sunset again, culminating in the Neilah service. The services are so lengthy, they are book-length — taking up the second half of the mahzor, the prayer book that contains all the prayers for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, usually in both Hebrew and English translation. (We have a guide for finding your own mahzor.)

Most mahzors will contain translations of most if not all of the prayers. But translations of the major prayers can also be found online. Most of these are provided by MJL or sefaria.org:

Candle-lighting for Yom Kippur 

Like any other Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur begins with candle-lighting.

Kol Nidre

Kol Nidre is said just before sundown as the holiday begins.

Viddui

The public confessional, also called “Ashamnu,” is repeated throughout the day on Yom Kippur.

Avinu Malkeinu 

Avinu Malkeinu is an iconic prayer of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur addressing God as “Our Father, our King.”

Unetaneh Tokef

This prayer asks us to consider our fates in the coming year.

Yizkor

The memorial prayer for the dead recited four times per year, including on Yom Kippur.

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