Israel comes to halt for solemn day of Yom Kippur

Israeli life has come to a standstill as Jews mark the beginning of Yom Kippur

JERUSALEM -- Israeli life came to a standstill on Wednesday as Jews marked the beginning of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and the most solemn point on their calendar, at sundown.

Stores, businesses, public transportation and broadcasting shuts down in Israel for this high holiday, on which the observant fast from sundown on Wednesday until after sunset on Thursday and spend the day in prayer and repentance.

For many secular Israeli Jews, it's a day of quiet reflection and introspection spent with family. Streets and highways normally dominated by traffic empty and turn into bicycle-filled thoroughfares.

The Israeli police said in a statement that they have deployed additional forces around Jerusalem, with particular focus on the Old City and its holy sites sacred to Jews, Christians and Muslims, ahead of the holiday.