Which phrase traditionally ends many Passover Seders and Yom Kippur services?

The phrase that traditionally ends many Passover Seders and Yom Kippur services is “Next year in Jerusalem.”

The Hebrew expression is L'shanah haba'ah biYerushalayim, literally “next year in Jerusalem.” At the Passover Seder, it expresses hope that the next celebration will take place in Jerusalem, traditionally understood as a restored spiritual center where the Temple service could again be observed. In many communities, the fuller wording is “Next year in rebuilt Jerusalem.”

The same declaration is associated with Ne'ilah, the concluding service of Yom Kippur. Passover emphasizes liberation from Egypt, while Yom Kippur centers on repentance and atonement, but both endings look toward redemption and renewal. The phrase therefore links two major moments in the Jewish religious year.

A common mix-up is treating it as a universal, identically worded closing. Customs vary by community: some say or sing the phrase, and Israeli or Jerusalem congregations may adapt it to “next year in rebuilt Jerusalem.” It is also commonly transliterated in several different ways.