By ASHRAF KHALIL Los Angeles Times JERUSALEM – On Thursday afternoon in west Jerusalem, you could actually hear the birds chirping. There were no motors roaring and no construction equipment pounding. The silence was almost startling. Yom Kippur, which started Wednesday at sundown and ended Thursday, brought much of Israel to a once-a-year standstill. The annual holiday, which means Day of Atonement, brings fasting and prayer for Jews worldwide. But here in the Jewish state, its effects reach into every aspect of life. The entire country shuts down – a fact that Egypt and Syria exploited by launching a 1973 surprise attack in what is still known as the Yom Kippur War. All shops and restaurants close. Even the Ben Gurion International Airport closes its doors for 24 hours. Authorities ban all vehicle traffic nationwide, making...
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