October 7, 2003
Source: Alameda Times-Star
http://www.timesstar.com/Stories/0,1413,125%257E1549%257E1679937,00.html
On October 7, 2003 Alameda Times-Star took the Jewish Festival of Yom Kippur as an occasion to describe the ritual of fasting in many religions. The article notes that "fasting has traditionally had a part in many religious traditions... Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints fast on the first Sunday of every month. Muslims fast from dawn to dusk during the 30 days of Ramadan. Fasting is part of many Buddhist traditions." While each faith has its own reasons to encourage the limiting of food intake, the purpose of fasting "is to focus on the spirit."