This year and many years in the past, Jewish high holidays have been during school days. The high holidays are considered to be the holiest time of the year. Some Jews spend their days outside of school, while some choose to stay in school. Religious holidays are considered excused absences as long as a parent notifies the school in advance.
The main Jewish high holidays celebrated are Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah. Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. Yom Kippur is “the Day of Atonement” or a day to ask for forgiveness. Sukkot is a long feast celebrated in the sukkah or hut. Lastly, Simchat Torah is the ending and beginning of the Torah reading. The holidays fall in October and September. It is like this because those are the months that correspond with the Lunar Calendar. This year, Rosh Hashanah was from September 22-25, Yom Kippur was from October 1-2, Sukkot was from October 6-13, and Simchat Torah was from October 13-15. A few of these holidays are during school, which is why students sometimes miss.
“It’s fairly uncommon, but some families in the middle school celebrate religious holidays [on school days],” Ms. Erin Demitras, attendance secretary, said.
There are a few school policies that are considered for missing school for religious reasons. Policy item number 204 is about attendance. Number 10 on the list states, “Observance of a religious holiday observed by a bona fide religious group, upon prior written request from the person in parental relation.”
Pennsylvania’s school code also states the rules for religion and attendance as well. The school code quotes; (a) Upon written parental request, and in accordance with the policies of the district’s board of school directors, students may be excused from school for religious holidays observed by bona fide religious groups. (b) Upon written parental request, a student shall be excused from school to attend classes for religious instruction under section 1546 of the Public School Code of 1949 (24 P. S. § 15-1546). The excusal shall be limited to a total of not more than 36 hours per school year. (c) A student’s absence from school for religious holidays or for religious instruction shall be recorded as an excused absence. A penalty may not be attached to an absence for religious holidays or instruction.
Elana Lehocky is one of our few Jewish students in the school who misses school for the high holidays. Lehocky misses one of the days of school to spend at her Temple, and the other she spends at school.
“Yes, sometimes I do have to skip school for services. I do have to make up stuff, but it’s usually not a big deal. Sometimes I think we should have off even though there are few of us,” Elana Lehocky (7) said.
Some students think we should have school off for the occasions. Students also agree that it is sometimes hard and sometimes easier to make up work. Some assignments are harder to make up than others. Everyday assignments or new lessons are easier to make up, while tests and larger assignments aren’t as easy.
“I don’t like it because I have to make up work for that day, and if I miss a test, I have to make it up. I don’t get to learn how everyone else is learning the stuff, ” Selma Brien (5) said.
Classmates and students ask about why Jewish students miss a few days of school. They are curious about the rare absence.
“Some of them asked why I was absent a couple times. They kept asking me. They also kept pronouncing it wrong,” Brien said.
Jewish holidays do impact a student’s school life, but not by much. Students and teachers are understanding of the reason.
