An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman swings a chicken over her family during the Kaparot ritual in Bnei Brak, Israel, Sept. 20, 2012. The Jewish ritual is supposed to transfer the sins of the past year to the chicken, and is performed before the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, the most important day in the Jewish calendar, which this year will start on the sunset of Sept. 25.

An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man swings a chicken over his family during the Kaparot ritual in Bnei Brak, Israel, Sept. 20.

An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish boy peers around the corner of a slaughter house to watch chickens that have had their feathers burned off in the Mea Shearim neighborhood in Jerusalem, Sept. 20. The chickens are bought for the purpose of performing the Kaparot ritual and then butchered under Kosher laws. The meat is usually donated to charity.

An Ultra-Orthodox Jewish man carries live chickens he purchased at a market in the Mea Shearim neighborhood of Jerusalem to perform the Kaparot ritual, Sept 20. The photograph was taken through a black mesh curtain.