Message on the Observance of Yom Kippur

Warm greetings to all who are observing the holy day of Yom Kippur.

Jews around the world mark this solemn Day of Atonement with stringent fasting for the body and careful examination of the soul. Yom Kippur is a deeply personal holiday, inviting worshippers to confess transgressions and to make reparation for sins, striving in this way to reaffirm their bonds with God and to repair and renew human relationships.

Yom Kippur teaches us all that peace and reconciliation can come only through committed human effort and humility before God. The conclusion of the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement, signed at the White House September 28, is a shining example of such resolve. Two peoples, divided for generations by conflict, have now taken another courageous step toward peace. In this season of renewal, there is more reason than ever before to hope that one day soon there will be safety in Israel's house and that the clash of arms will be banished from God's Holy Land. Let us treasure this lesson in our hearts and work to bring healing and harmony to our nation and our world.

Best wishes for a meaningful and rewarding holiday.

BILL CLINTON