Jews Prepare For Yom Kippur, The Day Of Atonement

ROSLYN, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- The holiest day of the year begins at sunset for Jews around the world.

Many will spend the day fasting in reflection and prayer, asking God for forgiveness.

But first, the storm before the calm.

The rush was on at Bagel Boss in Roslyn, where more than 10,000 bialys, flagels, bagels and endless slices of lox made their way to hundreds of homes, where it now all waits to be consumed after the Yom Kippur fast that begins at sundown and ends Wednesday night with a traditionally dairy meal.

"When you don't eat all day your stomach is just not ready for a big, heavy meal," culinary planner Nicole Meyer told CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff.

"I taper off the caffeine, starting a week before, and that helps a lot. Eat light tonight," added Nancy Roth of Jericho.

MORE: NY Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur Guide: Celebrating The High Holy Days

Eating light before the holiday was not on the menu at Shop Delight in Great Neck, where the pre-fast rush brought in the crowds focused on the meaning of Yom Kippur, the day of atonement.

"Accept upon ourselves to improve, to become better people the next year," one woman said.

"It's a judgment day to how your life is going to be all year. Hopefully, we will be written in a good book called life," said Eddie Yakubov, owner of Shop Delight.

Millions of Jews will pack into synagogues seeking forgiveness from God, but the holiday also requires making amends with fellow humans, said Rabbi Uri Allen of Roslyn's Temple Beth Shalom.

"In some ways, Yom Kippur is a rehearsal of our own death. When we pass we don't eat, we don't drink, we don't engage in those things of the physical world," Rabbi Allen said. "All we need to focus on is our relationships with each other, our relationship with God and the work that we need to do to be better people."

A new beginning.

"You try all over again. Any past transgressions, you have to forgive yourself and you have to move on," one woman said.

"Hopefully all of us will have a better year, a healthy year," Port Washington resident Robert Shapiro said.

"Philosophize, reflect, on everything," added Joel Zucker of Roslyn.

The fast begins at sunset and ends at nightfall Wednesday, so it's 25 hours of reflection, ushering in the year 5779.

Here in the New York metropolitan area, fasting officially ends Wednesday at 7:42 pm.