Each year our country celebrates 20 different holidays, which include Federal holidays as well as other various celebrations. 13 Jewish holidays are also celebrated by the Jewish community around the world, but only a few are recognized by work places, schools, and communities.

Students in America do not have to attend school on 10 of the Federal holidays. In fact, schools are required to close and all in school work is not made up. On the other hand, not one of the Jewish holidays in non-heavy Jewish populated areas are considered a school holiday.

Senior Bella Hoffman said, “It is frustrating that I’m missing school for something religious and it’s treated as an absent day where I have to make up my work in a short amount of time, where for other holidays they are designated breaks for all students.”

Are the Jewish holidays not getting the fair recognition they should receive?

It is very common for families, friends, and communities to gather on universal holidays. Large dinners, singing songs, spending quality time with the ones you care about are all things that people do on these special days. But what happens if someone is supposed to be spending the day sitting at a desk doing their school work or they’re required to be in the work place doing their job?

Hoffman also states, “Like everyone else on the holidays, I want to spend my time with my family, and that’s not always an option when I have to work around my school schedule.”

Although Antioch Community High School is in not necessarily a heavily Jewish populated school, the students that would like to participate in their religious holidays should have the same privileges as the other students.

Schools need to consider the fact that no matter what religion it is, the holidays that are included within them mean so much to those celebrating them.

Equality and respect in beliefs is something that needs to be thoroughly looked at for the upcoming school years.