Malkot ceremony ritual performed ahead of Yom Kippur
epa09469538 An ultra-Orthodox Jew from Lelov (Hasidic dynasty) whips another ultra-Orthodox man with a leather strap as a symbolic punishment for their sins as they perform the traditional Malkot ceremony, in the city of Beit Shemesh, Israel, 15 September 2021, a few hours before the start of Yom Kippur, the most solemn day in the Jewish calendar. Yom Kippur is a 25-hour period of fasting, intense reflection and prayers where the central theme is the Day of Atonement that begins on 15 September before sunset. EPA/ABIR SULTAN