30 | SEPTEMBER 2 • 2021
T
he convergence of
the observance of
the Jewish New Year
and start of the new school
year is leaving some Jewish
students and educators who
learn or work in public
schools feeling torn about
whether to observe the holi-
day or attend class.
After the chaotic nature
of last year’s school year due
to the pandemic, families
with school-age children and
educators desire a beginning
of the school year that is as
close to normal as possible.
And that means consistent
attendance during the first
days and weeks of school.
There are only a handful of
districts in the Metro Detroit
area that close for the first
day of Rosh Hashanah and
Yom Kippur. They include
Bloomfield Hills, West
Bloomfield, Walled Lake and
Berkley.
Some school districts
pushed the first day of school
to Aug. 30, ahead of the tra-
ditional day after Labor Day
start, while others delayed
their first days to the second
day of Rosh Hashanah to
accommodate Jewish stu-
dents and faculty.
No school districts close
on the second day of Rosh
Hashanah, which is not
observed by the large num-
ber of Reform students
attending public schools.
Families with children
attending class in districts
with very small Jewish pop-
ulations have grappled with
the decision to either attend
synagogue with their chil-
dren and have them miss the
first day of school or curtail
their religious observances
altogether.
Jewish teachers, who are
contractually obligated to
work or feel frowned upon
by administrators for asking
for time off to observe the
High Holidays, face a deci-
sion that some say would
threaten their employment
status.
WORKING WITH SCHOOLS
Robin Weiner Rinke of
Madison Heights has raised
her two children, Jakob,
19, and Rebekah, 13, in the
Lamphere School District.
She said there is a small but
growing Jewish population
there.
Rinke said when her son
was in the sixth grade, they
skipped middle school open
house night because it fell on
Rosh Hashanah. She said she
received a “rude” email from
the principal who reminded
her to put her priorities in
place.
Still, she has always kept
her children out of school
during Rosh Hashanah and
Yom Kippur.
“It was a horrible feeling,”
said Rinke, recalling the
principal’s comments.
“Things have improved
since then, and now we
even have a Jewish mayor
in Madison Heights. Jewish
families in school districts
with small Jewish popula-
tions need to communicate
their needs in advance. There
would never be school on
Christmas or Easter. I’d like
my children to feel their holy
days are just as important.
Jewish families need to stand
their ground.”
Melissa Ser, director of
education at Adat Shalom
Synagogue in Farmington
Hills who is also a parent
of three school-
age children
in Farmington
Public Schools,
said the school
district has been
sensitive to the
needs of religious
minorities.
Ser said she contacted dis-
or
Shul?
continued on page 32
STACY GITTLEMAN
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
What do you
do when the
start of school
confl
icts with
the High
Holidays?
or
School
ROSH HASHANAH
Melissa Ser