Here is some follow-up on recent activities:

 

Thank you to the over 1,300 people who signed our petition to the school districts requesting that school not start on the first day of Rosh Hashanah. We rushed out the petition (with little information) due to the West Linn-Wilsonville school board meeting this past Monday night. The meeting did take place and a follow-up meeting is set for early next week.

 

Here is some additional background information on the work being done. For the past two decades, the Oregon Area Jewish Committee and now the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation mails a letter along with a current 5-year calendar of Jewish holidays to every school and every school district office across Oregon and SW Washington on an annual basis. We highlight the Jewish holiday schedule and discourage major school events (start of school, back to school night, prom, etc.) be scheduled on a Jewish holiday. In fact, we ask that no major school events be scheduled on any religious holiday.

 

In addition, ever since school boards were looking at school start dates for this fall, we have been in touch with leaders and superintendents about the potential Rosh Hashanah conflict. Most have been very receptive and understanding, although not all school districts have made their final decision.

 

We have received incredible support from several key state officials -- Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, Senator Rob Wagner, and Representative Rachel Prusack. Their efforts behind the scenes have been immeasurable. In fact, Sen. Steiner Hayward was able to get the Oregon School Board Association (OSBA) to write a release to all school boards across the state urging them to avoid starting classes on September 7. 

 

In addition, the Oregon Department of Education is highlighting a new policy that the Eugene 4J School District passed which accommodates students’ religious observances, to assist students in Oregon’s religiously diverse state in avoiding conflicts between important academic and school-related events and major holy days. This may serve as an early model for other districts to consider.

 

We have also enlisted the support of the Oregon Board of Rabbis, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon, and the Islamic Society of Greater Portland in this effort. This is a broader issue -- not only focused solely on the Jewish community.

 

We recognize that some believe this should be a non-issue or why should school districts change their schedule when Jews are such a small percentage of the overall student population. We are not asking for schools to be closed every year on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur like they are in many areas with larger Jewish populations. Instead, similar to other Jewish communities dealing with this issue, we believe students, teachers, and parents should not have to make a choice on the first day of a new school year, when that date can be moved.

 

More meetings and discussions will take place and we will keep you posted. And please contact us if your student encounters other conflicts on major Jewish holidays.

 

On a separate note, I want to thank the over 500 people who participated in our short marketing survey. I am going through the results and reading each and every comment. Your input is invaluable as we strive to be better at the work we do on your behalf.

 

Finally, I want to share that one of the most meaningful things our community does each year is the Passover 4All campaign, which raises funds to make sure everyone in our community is able to have a Passover meal. This year, we raised $9,500 in less than 10 days to provide food and food gift cards for 140 families. Thank you to everyone who supported this effort.

 

I started this email reflecting on this past year. I hope you take the time to reflect, as well. May we all look forward to brighter days, good health, and opportunities to be together in-person with family and friends.

 

Shabbat shalom.