On Thursday, the United Nations Headquarters in New York recognized the Jewish holiday of ‘Yom Kippur’- the Day of Atonement, as an official UN holiday. On this day, no official meetings will take place and employees can chose to take the day off. This decisive victory was achieved thanks to the cooperation between Israel’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Danny Danon, who led the efforts on behalf of the Israeli Mission, and the United States Permanent Representative of the UN, Ambassador Samantha Power. “Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year for the Jewish People, and the UN should have recognized this holiday many years ago. Today we finally have an official place for the Jewish religion in the World’s parliament”, said ambassador Danon.

The partnership with the US Mission prevented the anti-Israel majority at the UN from blocking the resolution. “The American-Israeli Partnership at the UN stands for good versus bad and right versus wrong. The value of justice, anchored in Jewish tradition and thought, will finally find its place in the family of nations, and be a part of the UN’s history”, Danon added.

Until Thursday, the UN recognized 10 official holidays, including Christmas and Eid Al Fitr. This decision establishes Yom Kippur as an official UN holiday, and this international recognition of the holiday’s importance will allow Jewish UN workers to observe the holiday without the need to take a day off.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)