Why do we read Yona of all things on Yom Kippur? There are better tales of teshuvah that are more relevant to klall yisroel; why was this sefer, which deals exclusively with non-Jews doing teshuva, chosen instead?
Answer
As it says in the Unetanneh Tokef, Yom Kippur is Judgment Day for all, not just for Jews:
וְכָל בָּאֵי עולָם יַעַבְרוּן לְפָנֶיךָ כִּבְנֵי מָרון. כְּבַקָּרַת רועֶה עֶדְרו. מַעֲבִיר צאנו תַּחַת שִׁבְטו .כֵּן תַּעֲבִיר וְתִסְפּר וְתִמְנֶה וְתִפְקד נֶפֶשׁ כָּל חָי. וְתַחְתּךְ קִצְבָה לְכָל בְּרִיּותֶיךָ. וְתִכְתּב אֶת גְּזַר דִּינָם:
בְּראשׁ הַשָּׁנָה יִכָּתֵבוּן וּבְיום צום כִּפּוּר יֵחָתֵמוּן
All mankind will pass before You like a flock of sheep. Like a shepherd pasturing his flock, making sheep pass under his staff, so shall You cause to pass, count, calculate, and consider the soul of all the living; and You shall apportion the destinies of all Your creatures and inscribe their verdict.
On Rosh Hashanah will be inscribed and on Yom Kippur will be sealed
Sefer Yonah reminds us that this is bigger deal than just the Jews. On the other hand, it's a kal v'chomer - If Nineveh does true teshuvah with such little impetus, we who have a brit with G-d should wake up and do teshuvah.
It also is a nice counterpoint to the haftarah for shacharit - Fasts aren't about sackcloth and ashes, says Isaiah (58:5) but about justice (ibid. v.6-7). You Jews are faking it. Look at the Ninevites instead, we hear in the afternoon. They can do real teshuvah. Don't assume that you are better at this just because you're Jews - you still need to work at it.
Also, what is another good sefer where all of a society does such a true teshuvah?
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