At the end of the neilah, the final part of the Yom Kippur service, we say b’shana haba b’yerushaleym, next year in Jerusalem.
But why not say this year? Haven’t we just started the new year. We’ve got 11 months and 20 days to make a trip.
Rabbi Susan Grossman explains that the word Jerusalem may not be a place at all, but a play on words, describing ir shalom, a city or place or peace. (MORE)
Yom Kippur
Pronounced: yohm KIPP-er, also yohm kee-PORE, Origin: Hebrew, The Day of Atonement, the holiest day on the Jewish calendar and, with Rosh Hashanah, one of the High Holidays.