Rabbi Daniel Young stressed the importance of ignoring daily distractions and reflecting on yourself and the world around you as he spoke to a group of UF students Thursday.
Young came up from Miami for Yom Kippur, a 25-hour period of fasting and prayer in the Jewish faith that began Wednesday and ended Thursday.
The holiday serves as a time to atone for wrongdoings and to reflect on improper decisions, he said.
"It's about overcoming our reluctance to see faults in ourselves," he said.
Before the fasting began Wednesday night, UF Hillel hosted a free dinner at 5 p.m., which about 100 people attended.
The dinner was followed by Kol Nidre, a Jewish prayer.
The prayer, which was repeated three times, ensures that people aren't held accountable for vows they may make that they're unable to fulfill, Young said.
"It just sets the stage for the day to come," said Ken Friedman, a UF graduate student.
After the service, observers go home and think differently about things than they normally would, especially because they're deprived of basic necessities like food and showers, Friedman said.
Services focusing on communal renewal continued Thursday morning with the Sephardic Orthodox services at Hillel and the Conservative and Reform services at the Reitz Union.
During the observance, some people wear white to simulate their death and to create a sense of urgency to repent for their sins, Young said.
The services were supposed to be followed by the reflective walk, which would entail discussion focusing on faith, led by Young.
However, due to a thunderstorm, Young and his six participants moved their discussion to a seating area in the Reitz Union.
Yom Kippur ended when the participants broke fast at UF Hillel Thursday night.
At the holiday's end, Young said he usually feels physically and emotionally drained but hopeful.
In acknowledging that he has made mistakes, he said he is better able to greet the challenges of the new year.
