In Jerusalem, on the eve of Yom Kippur 2025, where ancient traditions meet modern life, the ritual of kapparot still lingers in corners of the city. Families once carried chickens to the bustling Mahane Yehuda market, lifting them over their heads with trembling hands. What for many was meant as a sacred act of atonement often left children with haunting memories of fear, compassion, and cruelty.
Historical roots of Jerusalem kapparot
The ritual traces back to the era of the Geonim, when rabbinic leaders sought to replace the Temple’s scapegoat ritual after its destruction. In the narrow streets of Jerusalem, the cry “This is my exchange, this is my atonement” echoed beneath fluttering wings and red combs. Boys from Mazkeret Moshe chased chickens before their fates were sealed in Tishrei, turning a somber rite into a childhood game.
Tradition under question in Jerusalem
Today, debate surrounds whether kapparot still has meaning in the modern world. While charitable donations and symbolic coins are suggested alternatives, in some places 50 shekels still buys a chicken flapping above one’s head. From the former Schneller camp to the side streets of Jerusalem’s religious quarters, the ritual endures as a reminder of how traditions resist time.
Learning compassion in Jerusalem neighborhoods
As the shofar sounds to close Yom Kippur, the echoes rising over Jerusalem mix with prayers and hope for renewal. The city shows how rituals can be timeless, yet it also teaches that the Torah’s core demand is to love one’s neighbor as oneself. In a city of old and new – from Armon Hanatziv to the Jewish Quarter – the lesson is clear: kindness and responsibility matter more than sacrifice.
Instead of a chicken waved in the air, a kind word, a small donation, or a memory may carry the truest meaning of kapparot.
