On Friday, when I told a client I wouldn't be around on Monday, as it was Yom Kippur, he said "I don't much about Jewish stuff, what is it?". I explained that it's a day for reflection and planning, and he said, opening his Sony Clie, "we should all do that. I think I'll schedule something in my diary now".
I stayed with Z and D, and we started that fast at Z's parent's house, which was great, and then had a truly spiritually uplifting experience. New North London is a very unusual synagogue: most of the people there are there for the davening/praying, not for the social, or the fashion show (which is also good, I'm not saying it's not). So like, at the end, in most other shuls I've been to, as soon as Neilah (the last service of Yom Kippur) is over, everyone's dashing out, and holding an apple because they're starving, and a handful of stalwarts are davening Maariv (the evening prayer). But at NNL, about four hundred people davened Maariv. Also, rather than just one sermon, there's a series of divrei torah throughout the day, from different members of the community (many of them my friends), which gives you different perspective, a chance to hear different voices, and to see people in contexts where you think of them anew.
Oh, I'm getting all holy and annoying. And today's like the first day of the new year where I haven't committed any "sins" yet. It's a great feeling. Not least if I can keep it going.
Broke the fast at L and S's, with lots of fun people, but frankly I was a bit flaked out by then, so it was tricky.
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