Inclusiveness Around Jewish Holidays: A Letter to Educators

  • August 25, 2014

Dear Educator,

The beginning of the school year is a time when many major Jewish holidays occur.  Jewish students, teachers and parents may be unable to attend classes or other school events due to religious observance.  As you may know, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are some of the holiest days on the Jewish calendar and observances require day-long attendance at synagogue and abstinence from all work.

For your reference, here are the calendar dates for the 2014 High Holy Days:

Rosh Hashanah:  Begins on Wednesday, September 24th at sundown and ends at sundown on Friday, September 26th.

Yom KippurBegins on Friday, October 3rd at sundown and ends at sundown on Saturday, October 4th.

Many students and teachers will be out of school on those days of religious observance.  We hope you will allow your students to be absent, without penalty, on those days.  Additionally, we encourage you to make reasonable efforts to accommodate your employees who wish to observe the holidays.  We believe that school administrators can build an atmosphere of mutual respect by accommodating students and employees for their religious practices.

The increasingly pluralistic population of the United States creates rich and diverse communities, student bodies and workplaces.  To enhance mutual understanding and respect among the various religious, ethnic and cultural groups, we publish the Calendar of Observances.  This calendar covers many faiths, including a full list of the other Jewish holidays occurring during the school year.  It can be helpful in increasing awareness and sensitivity about religious obligations as well as ethnic and cultural festivities.

We also write with regard to “See You at the Pole™ (SYATP)” prayer activities, which may occur on your campus on September 24, 2014.  Provided that SYATP truly remains a student-initiated and led program, ADL does not view it as unconstitutional.  However, to prevent any constitutional violations, schools must ensure that there is no actual or perceived endorsement by school administrators, teachers or other officials of SYATP.  This means that school personnel may be present to monitor the event for compliance with school rules, but they cannot in any way promote or participate in the event.  Schools must also ensure that students who are not inclined to participate in the event are not pressured or coerced by fellow students to participate.

ADL publishes useful guides on issues related to religion in public schools.  You may find helpful Religion in the Public Schools.  We make this publication and other materials available on our website – www.adl.org.

ADL also offers diversity, anti-bias and anti-bullying trainings through its A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute.  These programs are designed to help administrators, educators and students address issues of prejudice and discrimination, and to foster respect for differences.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for further guidance on any of these issues.

Sincerely,

Nancy K. Baron-Baer

Regional Director, Anti-Defamation League

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world’s leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.