Yom Kippur - Before and After the Fast

Adapted from my book, Food for the Soul – Traditional Jewish Wisdom for Healthy Eating


Judaism has always acknowledged the relationship between the physical and spiritual elements of life, and most of our holidays embrace both, through celebration and prayer.

On Yom Kippur we strive to elevate the spiritual while setting aside the physical. Fasting allows us to disregard, but not totally neglect, our physical needs in order to better concentrate on our spiritual ones.

To ensure an easy and safe fast, drink plenty of water a few days in advance, so that you will be completely hydrated. If you usually drink a lot of coffee or other caffeinated beverages, start tapering off a week or so before the fast, to minimize withdrawal headaches.

On the day before the fast, avoid eating heavily salted and fried foods. Try to eat foods containing complex carbohydrates and continue drinking lots of water.

Erev Yom Kippur dinner should begin early enough to allow for a relaxed meal before leaving for the synagogue. You might want to eat a mid-morning brunch that day or a hearty breakfast followed by a very light lunch or mid-day snack; that way you can start dinner early enough to avoid rushing.

Include complex carbohydrates, a moderate amount of protein and a small amount of fat in the pre-fast meal. Use salt sparingly, to avoid thirst later on. Stay away from overly sweet and spicy foods, carbonated beverages and alcohol. Eating a moderately sized meal may actually make fasting easier than trying to eat enough at dinner “to cover” for the next day.

Here’s a menu idea: Green salad dressed with olive oil, vegetable soup, baked chicken or turkey breast, brown rice pilaf and poached fruit.

We like to break the fast with a light dairy meal. Tuna, salmon and vegetable salads can all be prepared the day before the fast. Sometimes I bake a dairy casserole, kugel or quiche and re-heat it in the microwave when we return home.

It’s best to avoid a large heavy meal. And be sure to drink plenty of water to rehydrate after the fast.

G’mar chatimah tovah and best wishes for an easy fast.