Kol Nidre

[ Sephardic Hebrew kawl nee-drey; Ashkenazic Hebrew kohl nid-ruh, -rey ]

noun

, Judaism.

1. a liturgical prayer for recitation at the beginning of the service on the eve of Yom Kippur asking that all unfulfilled vows to God be nullified and all transgressions forgiven.

Kol Nidre

/ kɔl niːˈdre; kɔːl ˈnɪdreɪ /

noun

1. the evening service with which Yom Kippur begins
2. the opening prayer of that service, declaring null in advance any purely religious vows one may come to make in the coming year

Word History and Origins

Origin of Kol Nidre¹

< Aramaic kōl all + nidhrē vows, promises

Word History and Origins

Origin of Kol Nidre¹

Aramaic kōl nidhrē all the vows; the prayer's opening words

Example Sentences

Meanwhile, in a Fairfax District Kol Nidre service marking the eve of Yom Kippur, a rabbi delivered the news to worshipers.

From Los Angeles Times

As my rabbi, Danny Zemel, put it on Kol Nidre: “If there is a Jewish message for our time, it is to support our great experiment with every fiber of our being.”

From Washington Post

At Temple Beth El in Fort Myers, congregants planned to have in-person Yom Kippur services Wednesday, with Kol Nidre services available only online Tuesday night.

From Seattle Times

“She survived her first High Holy Day season with me,” said Ms. Schafer, who wowed Ms. Woods with her rendition of Kol Nidre on Yom Kippur.

From New York Times

Across from Zuccotti Park, activists held Kol Nidre — the annual Yom Kippur service in which Jews are relieved from promises they make to God.

From New York Times