On Saturday night, after Havdalah, the traditional kaporos ceremony took place at the Jewish Community of Dnipro. It was attended by community members and guests of the city, for whom this ceremony became an important part of preparation for Yom Kippur.
Kaporos is an ancient Jewish custom that has been performed for many centuries on the eve of the Day of Judgment. It helps a person pause, reflect on their actions, awaken a sense of repentance, and prepare themselves for teshuvah – a sincere return to the Almighty.
By tradition, men perform the ceremony with a rooster, and women with a hen. After rotating the bird over the head while reciting the appropriate blessing, it is handed to a shochet for ritual slaughter. The meat is then directed to charitable needs and helps those in need of support. Kaporos reminds us of the righteous Judgment of the Almighty and, at the same time, of His mercy, through which a person is given a path to correction and spiritual renewal.
This year, the ceremony took place on the grounds near the Jewish Lyceum. Kaporos brought together shluchim of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and their families, well-known businessmen and philanthropists, congregants of the synagogue, students of Jewish educational projects and their parents, participants in programs of informal Jewish education, activists of the “Menorah Community” project, and many others. On these special days, the communal tradition once again became an occasion to gather together and feel the unity of the Jewish community.
“The ceremony was conducted at a high level, and this year’s kaporos in Dnipro not only took place in the spirit of tradition but also gathered a wide circle of participants, reminding everyone of the significance of mercy, repentance, and spiritual renewal, which become the main guiding lights on the path to Yom Kippur,” emphasized Rabbi Reuven Kaminezki. “Many people put considerable effort into this: they carefully thought through the logistics and created the most comfortable conditions for all participants. The honored role of shochet this year was performed by the esteemed Rabbi Levi Karelenstein. I want to express my gratitude to the entire Jewish Community of Dnipro and wish everyone: ‘Gmar Chasima Tova!'”
