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