For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 11, 2005
Presidential Message: Yom Kippur, 5766
Seek the Lord while He may be found, call unto Him
while He is near.
Isaiah 55:6
Yom Kippur is the Sabbath of Sabbaths, the most solemn day of the
Jewish calendar. On this day, Jews around the world reflect on their
lives and give thanks to God for their many blessings. The Rabbis teach
that on Yom Kippur, God holds open the gates of Heaven and listens to
every word of every prayer. As those final prayers are shared and the
Shofar is sounded, God remembers every name -- those living and those
departed. In this moment, we draw near to God, sharing in the wonders of
all creation and the miracle of all life.
Yom Kippur teaches us that we merit forgiveness and mercy through
repentance, prayer, and acts of charity. May we have the strength to
achieve all these things, so that we continue to build a more hopeful
Nation and a more peaceful and free world.
Laura and I send our best wishes for a blessed day.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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