Abstract:
In this article, Rabbi Jay Michaelson discusses the meaning of fasting on Yom Kippur for secular Jews. He writes that even for Jews who do not feel bound by the obligations of Jewish law, fasting has a cathartic effect, both physically and emotionally. Michaelson compares fasting to meditation, in that depriving the body of food has the effect of "slowing down the train of thought so that it is possible to see the world more clearly. " It also fosters connection with an international Jewish community and fosters a more loving, accepting and more grateful. Click on the link to read the article.