The date clashes, though, with Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

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In the Jewish calendar, Rosh Hashanah is followed by Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, when observant Jews ask forgiveness for the sins of the past year and recommit to improving the next.

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The rhythm of life here is set by the Jewish calendar from the crowds in supermarkets before the Sabbath and holidays, to the quiet on the streets, to the picnics in the park and the sanctity of synagogues, to the clubs and restaurants that may be open.

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In various forms, most Jewish festivals found their way into the Christian calendar.

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One of the magazine's editors, Andrew Leland, introduced the reading with a nod to a potential calendar conflict: "The Believer is an Orthodox Jewish magazine, so thank you all for making it here on the first night of Passover!"

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