JEWS MARK YOM KIPPUR PRAYER, FASTING KEY IN JUDAISM'S DAY OF ATONEMENT Prayer, fasting key in Judaism's Day of Atonement.

Byline: Troy Anderson, Staff Writer

Jews around the Southland will celebrate Yom Kippur, Judaism's highest holy day, today and Monday with a combination of fasting and prayer while local rabbis discuss topics from homelessness to World War II.

Rabbi Janet Offel, of the Woodland Hills-based Temple Kol Tikvah, plans to speak about the prophet Isaiah and his exhortations to share food with the hungry, provide the "poor wanderer with shelter" and clothe the naked.

Offel said the Jewish people are called by the "prophetic voice of our tradition" to help those in need.

As part of the services Monday morning, Offel plans to ask her congregation to put that tradition into action by "adopting" a homeless family through the Imagine L.A. program.

"I think homelessness is one of the major issues facing us as a community today," Offel said. "This past summer, Los Angeles was named the meanest city in America. I'm using that as my opening."

"It's shameful that we are not doing more as a community to address the needs of the homeless, particularly homeless families."

More than 700 people belong to her synagogue, which is having its Yom Kippur services at Church on the Way in Van Nuys - a larger location than the temple's own site - starting at 10 a.m. today.

Imagine L.A. is a nonprofit organization that works with the various faiths to combat homelessness in Los Angeles County.

Imagine L.A. Executive Director Jill Govan Bauman, who will speak during the afternoon reflection period from 3-4 p.m., said the synagogue is one of 88 faith communities that are in active talks to sponsor and mentor a homeless family through the program.

Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement - is devoted to communal repentance of sins committed over the course of the previous year through prayer and fasting.

"So this is the final opportunity for last year's record keeping to account for any wrongs we have done to others, to seek their forgiveness and to make amends to them," said Rabbi Dan Moskovitz of Temple Judea, which has about 3,000 people who attend services at the synagogues in Tarzana and the satellite facility in West Hills. The services can be viewed live at www.templejudea.com.

On Monday, the Temple of the Arts at 8440 Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills will feature a presentation by former Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov regarding a little-known historical episode of the "miraculous rescue of his country's entire Jewish population of 50,000 Jews during World War II."

A documentary on the episode, "Empty Box Cars," will be screened from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. The services will also be broadcast on JLTV, Direct TV Channel 366 and Time Warner Channel 177 in Southern California.

"We are honored to present a unique and inspirational Kol Nidre (this evening) and Yizkor Memorial Service (Monday) for World Jewry, many of whom are unable to get to a synagogue," synagogue founder Rabbi David Baron said.

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(color) Cantor Ilysia Pierce sings earlier this month at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills in a taped segment to be shown during this weekend's Yom Kippur services by Beverly Hills-based Temple of the Arts. The temple's services will be broadcast nationwide on Jewish network JLTV.