Cyclists and pedestrians, many of them children, enjoyed riding and strolling along the empty streets of Tel Aviv on Wednesday, during the celebration of Yom Kippur holiday, also known as the Day of Atonement.

“There’s lots of young people because, you see, there are no cars in the street. And it’s not forbidden, it’s not that they closed the roads, it’s just a way to be, you let the road for kids, for everybody. So it’s a kind of freedom, everybody can do what they want, and everybody respects, so it’s a nice moment,” said Fred, a local resident.

Israel closes down during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, and observant Jews mark the occasion by fasting, praying, and abstaining from work, while others go outside to enjoy the calm atmosphere of the normally-busy roads such as Ayalon Highway.