Prayers, Meditations, Stories & Poems for Yom Kippur

This post offers a list of links to prayers, meditations, stories and poetry for Yom Kippur, written by Alden Solovy, a Jewish poet, liturgist and teacher whose prayers have been used by people of all faiths around the world. The materials are divided by topics relevant to this holy day: Vidui (confession), T’shuva (Repentance), Neilah (closing service), Living in Holiness, Sacred Time and Death/Mourning. 

Vidui (Confession)

• Meditation Before the Yom Kippur Vidui – On preparing for a thorough and honest confession.
• Meditation After the Yom Kippur Vidui – Living differently after a heartfelt confession.
• The Greatest Sin – Allowing the conditions for sin to take root.

T’shuva (Repentance, Return)

• Cry No More – This is the day G-d made to relieve your sorrow.
• Who, Still Broken – A meditation on Un’taneh Tokef.
• Repentance Inside – To leave my transgressions behind.
• Regarding Old Wounds – Are you willing to take your most crushing losses and turn them into a well of strength and love?
• Let Your Heart Stir – Let the shofar echo into your life.

Neilah (Closing Service)

• At the Gates – At the gates of prayer, repentance and charity.
• Meditation Before Neilah – What have I left to say to G-d?
• The Entry to Our Hearts – A cry for hope and healing.

Living in Holiness

• Is This the Fast? – An introspection based on Isaiah 58:6-7.
• For Wonder and Awe – To put aside vain pursuits and seek G-d.
• The Path of Righteousness – The path is paved with questions.
• G-d’s Plan: An Introspection – Surrendering to G-d’s will.
• Let Holiness – A prayer to embody holiness.

Sacred Time

• The Season of Healing – Healing our souls and our lives.
• The Season of Return – Preparing for t’shuva, returning to G-d.

Death and Mourning

For an annotated list of Memorial and Yizkor prayers, click here. Here are three prayers about preparing for death:

• Near the End: A Meditation – On preparing for the journey of death with grace and dignity.
• Remember – Whatever our fears, this is a call back to our deepest sense of peace and well-being.
• Things Break – Each day we face the flow of endings and beginnings. G-d’s love remains.

Short Story

“Cantor Cohen” is a Yom Kippur story of a Chazzan preparing to lead his congregation in prayer, repentance and righteousness.