“You are going to miss the most important class of the year.” These were the words of one professor responding to an email from a Jewish student asking for the day off to observe the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. This is one of the many upsetting stories we heard this week.

Each fall, 3,000 Jews across campus celebrate the two most holy Jewish days of the year, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. These holidays, collectively known as the High Holy Days, are a special time for the Jewish people to reflect, repent, and pray for a good year to come. Unfortunately, with the Syracuse University’s current Religious observance policy, many students find it difficult to observe these holidays in a traditional and fulfilling way.

Three years ago, the university created the current religious observance policy, which allows students, in theory, to be excused from class for any religious holiday they choose to observe, without the fear of being penalized academically. Students are asked to complete an online form on MySlice and are subsequently expected to make up any work they may have missed.

This system, though well-conceived and intentioned, is needed for two reasons:

1. Because of Judaism’s adherence to a lunar calendar, the dates of the holidays are inconsistent and frequently fall on weekdays.

2. Jewish holidays, especially the High Holidays, forbid work or creation of any kind. This includes schoolwork and a number of other everyday activities, depending on your personal level of observance.

We have seen that many of the faculty and staff do not adhere to the religious observance policy and do not understand why Jewish students ask for time off. Students frequently feel pressured to come to class by professors or do not receive accommodations that fairly allow for them to make up work.

In an ideal world, students of all faiths should not have to choose between their education and staying faithful to their religious beliefs. If Jewish students cannot be given days off to observe, which would be our preference, we respectfully ask the administration and staff to partner with Hillel to enforce the existing Religious observance policy. Professors and staff should, at minimum, encourage students to worship, refrain from holding tests and quizzes, provide notes or recorded lectures for makeup work, and not collect assignments on major Jewish holidays.

The Hillel Jewish Student Union, with the Chabad House at SU, wishes to help promote and support spirituality on campus through education and advocacy. Join us this year as we spread understanding and support students’ rights to worship freely.

Zach Goldberg,
President, Hillel Jewish Student Union

Natalie Rebeyev
President, Chabad House at Syracuse University

Published on September 19, 2013 at 1:40 am