Routinely on Jewish holidays such as Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot, Israel imposes a total closure on anyone holding a Palestinian Authority ID living in the West Bank, which means they cannot access Jerusalem at all, even if they hold an approved entry permit from the COGAT. Inside the city, many main streets are barricaded, and no cars are allowed. The nearly 40 percent of the city who do not observe these holidays must endure days of immobility—at least by car.
Jerusalem Story photographer Mays Shkerat roamed the city and filed these photos of the realities on the ground during Yom Kippur 2022. They offer a glimpse of what it is like when your city is shut down for a holiday that you don’t observe.
