Express 5: Yom Kippur, Food & Fasting

YOM KIPPUR, THE JEWISH HOLIDAY that will wipe away a year's worth of sins through fasting and prayer, starts at sunset on Oct. 8 and lasts until sunset on Oct. 9.

If Jews properly atone for their sins (no short and sweet confessions a la the Catholics), they are written into the "Book of Life," which means they will live to see the next Yom Kippur. But once the sun sets and the starving is over, it's time for the break-the-fast meal — a day of atonement followed by a night of binge eating.

Leah Koenig is editor of "The Jew and the Carrot," a blog dedicated to the "New Jewish Food Movement": sustainable food within a Jewish paradigm. Think local, organic, humanely raised food in a yarmulke — that tastes delicious.

Koenig will help you navigate the world of forgiveness, fasting and food in this three-part Yom Kippur Express 5.

» Express 5 ways to not think about your stomach growling like a shofar during fasting:

1. Be fully engaged with the holiday. I think the problem for many Jews on Yom Kippur is that synagogue can be boring and unfamiliar, which can lead to a more intense focus on how terribly hungry they are.

So, instead of going to a synagogue that will bore you to both hunger and tears, find one that you resonate with and enjoy. Or, gather a group of people to pray together with — or study texts, or sing, or reflect, or mediate — away from the synagogue. Your holiday will ultimately be a lot less painful and significantly more meaningful.

2. Have a back up juice box in your fridge. For the last two years, I kept an apple juice box waiting in the wings, in case I couldn't stand the hunger anymore. Two years ago, I drank it, but last year I found that I didn't need it. Still, having the juice nearby somehow calmed my irrational anxiety that I "couldn't" eat, and reinforced that I was choosing not to eat for spiritual reasons. It took the edge off the dogma as well as the hunger.

3. Get outside. Although exercise burns calories, which in theory could make you more hungry, a brisk walk in the autumn air clears your head and allows you to focus on the beauty of your neighborhood or wherever you're spending the holiday.

4. Smell fresh herbs. One year, I went to a Yom Kippur service where the leaders handed out fresh basil and mint about an hour before sundown. Congregants were instructed to smell the fresh herbs — but not eat them! After depriving ourselves of food for many hours, our senses of smell were radically heightened. Taking a deep breath of the basil briefly sated my hunger and actually helped to reconnect my wandering head back to the service and the spiritual tasks at hand.

5. Nap. Yom Kippur is all about delving head-on into our inner spiritual and moral selves, not about sleeping the day away until we can eat again. But taking a catnap between services can really help fill up some of the painful downtime.

» Express 5 great break-the-fast foods:

I know everyone swears by bagels for the break-fast and that it's a bit blasphemous to suggest there might be an alternative path. But while there's certainly nothing wrong with a schmear and some smoked fish on a bagel, I think our entry back into the world of eating should be as sacred an occasion as the holiday itself. The recipe ideas below are simple to prepare, focus on bright flavors and fresh ingredients — and most everything can be made in advance.

1. Fresh-baked scones. You can bake these a day ahead so they are ready and waiting when sundown rolls around. I like doctoring up the basic scone recipe from "The Joy of Cooking" with chocolate chips and a little orange zest.

2. Apple salsa with blue corn chips. Mix together chopped apples with minced cilantro, chopped onion and jalapeno, and a squeeze of lemon juice and agave nectar and let it sit and marinate until its go time.

3. Stuffed figs. These delicious, bite-sized snacks can be prepared in minutes. Split fresh figs in half and fill centers with a dollop of fresh goat cheese. Drizzle with honey and crushed pistachios.

4. Cheese and olive plate. Arrange four or five of your favorite cheeses on a plate or cheeseboard and surround them with a variety of salty, briny olives and crackers or French bread.

5. Seltzer! Almost more than eating, rehydrating is crucial after a fast. But I think it's somewhat depressing to see a break-fast table weighed down by sodas, diet sodas and other super sweet drinks. Are sugar and chemicals really the first things you want to put into your body after the fast? Plain or flavored seltzer water with a squeeze of fresh lime is festive and delicious, without the added baggage.

» Express 5 trendy Jewish foods:

1. Pomegranates. These delicious red orbs were known as one of the seven species of Israel long before they were touted for their health benefits.

2. Sushi. Although Jews certainly didn't invent sushi, it is now a staple in many kosher restaurants and often served as a first course. Food expert and cookbook author Arthur Schwartz has even dubbed sushi "the new gefilte fish."

3. Challah. Whether eaten on Friday night for Shabbat dinner or Sunday morning as the base of French toast, challah has grown to be a classic Jewish food and is always in style.

4. Za'atar. This Middle Eastern spice mixture is not exactly popular, but it should be. It's most often sprinkled on top of hummus, but adds depth to soups, salad, eggs, and just about anything savory. So here's my plug for za'atar — go out and find some!

5. Manischewitz. Mysteriously, the sticky sweet wine known best for its appearance on seder tables every Passover seems to be enjoying a "comeback" within a certain subset of the Jewish 20-something crowd.

Written by Express contributor Stefanie Gans
Photos courtesy Leah Koenig