Schools Closed Wednesday for Yom Kippur

On Wednesday, all Howard County schools and school offices will be closed for Yom Kippur.

Howard County government offices, however, will be open on Wednesday.

Schools will reopen at their regular times on Thursday.

Yom Kippur, one of the most important holidays for Jews, is known as the Day of Atonement. According to rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld who wrote about the holiday in Tuesday's Washington Post, "Yom Kippur is a Jewish holiday that reminds us not to mistake routine for commitment. When we commit to God we have to put our heart and soul into it. We have to commit with both consistency and intensity."

Yom Kippur begins at sundown on Sept. 25 and ends at sundown on Sept. 26.