School District Decides to Disregard Jewish Holidays
Hours after news hit web pages about the Litchfield, CT Board of Education’s decision to not observe Jewish high holidays on the 2012-13 school calendar, community members responded with mixed emotions.
Board members Gayle Carr, Gary Waugh and Amy Rosser were in favor of the Litchfield education system recognizing Yom Kippur as a district-wide holiday, while five other members voted in favor of maintaining the calendar proposal brought to the at Wednesday’s meeting. Carr said that because of the Jewish holiday falling on weekends the past few years, Litchfield was “very lucky” it didn’t have to debate the rescheduling.
Prior to Carr addressing her concerns as a lawyer and as an education official, Debra Brandt, a mother in the district, sounded her concerns during the meeting’s public comment portion.
When the initial story appeared online, dissent and support for the board’s decision flared.
“Better nix the Christian holidays too then,” said Edward Corey on Facebook. “In fact, I hope someone sues them into oblivion. Observe them all or observe none. You can’t pick and choose, that’s called discrimination.”
“If they chose every religious holiday there was, there would be no school days left,” replied Amy Demuth.
“Sorry I have to agree with Edward on this one,” wrote Heather St Jean, also on Facebook. “Honestly, how is this helping the futures of our children. Aren’t we supposed to be teaching them equal rights. This is pretty much slapping that rule across the face.”
Chabad Lubavitch of Northwest Connecticut Rabbi Joseph Eisenbach said he spoke with administrators at the school and “applauded” the board on its decision.
“As the town of Litchfield, where the majority of the town is not of a Jewish faith, respecting the majority of the school which are not of the Jewish faith is [the] correct [decision],” Eisenbach said. “The Jewish student body in Litchfield is a minority. I think we have to respect the religious majority.”
Eisenbach suggested that the district educate teachers on Jewish holidays and ask them not to plan substantial homework assignments or test on the days where the most observant Jewish students will be resting and fasting.
The Rabbi added that the religious freedoms and the “beauty of this community” have ties to the “founding of this great country.”
Anti-Defamation League Connecticut Regional Director Gary Jones said his civil rights organization doesn’t normally dabble in school issues, unless rights are being infringed.
“We believe in the separation of church and state,” Jones said. “Our answer follows that. Public schools aren’t in the business to observe religious holidays. The reason schools close [during holiday breaks] is because they assume that many teachers and students won’t attend because of any religion.
“That’s why many schools close and many don’t,” he added. “It is up to the local communities to make their decision for what works best for their school system.”
Jones also said that as long as teachers respect students’ high holidays, like Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah, by not assigning large homework assignments and scheduling tests, there shouldn’t be an issue.
Why this picture?
Why do they always put this picture of Rabbi E. it makes him look like he’s having a bad day. He’s a frielich chassid of the Rebbe and it should be portrayed in his pictures as well.
SZ770
Very Wise, I am a Shliach in a small Jewish community in the midwest. I was the guest of the local public school Superintendent, where we do Jewish Legacy program, and I explained exactly like RE that if the school respects the Jewish holidays, and allows the kids off, there is NO NEED to close the school, for the other 98% of the population.
The Rebbbe is VERY proud. I am glad to see another Chabadnik thinking out of the box!
Milhouse
Closing the system for a holiday should be a practical decision. You see how many teachers and students take the day off, especially teachers, and if it’s enough that there’s a significant impact on the school then you close for the day. If not, then you stay open and get some substitutes. It doesn’t matter whether the holiday in question is Yom Kippur or opening day of the baseball season. There are many school districts that are closed on the first day of deer season, because so many students and teachers take it off that it’s not worth staying open for those who are left.
Yossel
B”H
I’d still rather live in a pretty community like Litchfield with public school on Yom Tov (for non-Jewish kids), than the overcrowded dump we live in here in Crown Heights…
mendy
BH
BSD
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE STRAIGHTEN OUT THIS CROOKED PICTURE?
HE LOOKS LIKE A VILLAIN ON THE OLD BATMAN SHOW..
WHERE THE VILLIANS LAIRS ALL WERE ON AN ANGLE..
RABBI E IS FANTASTIC SHLIACH AND DESERVES BETTER
oy vay and because of this I had to remember my old shtuss following days? I must make a taanis
lol
batman villian. who makes this stuff up LOL
Sour Lemon
The picture reminds me of a rebbe i once had – always looked like he just bit into a lemon!
Grateful Baal T-chuva
#5&6 make me laugh. There is so much in this Lubavitch life style I’ve chosen, that seems like they are just awakening to 20 years ago. It’s all meaningless compared to what you are born into, so what’s all the fuss about trying to be modern? Sad when you realize it’s pretty meaningless, after you see your children really going secular, and grand children giving it up all together. I come from friends who’s grand-parents were frum Jews from Europe, and children marrying Goyem without conversion!