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I'm not sure if this was a serious question or if you're just trolling, but...
I'll support Yom Kippur becoming a federal holiday only if you support Diwali becoming a federal holiday =P
I'll sign up for that one, too. The Asian-American club at my job has a Diwali party coming up. It's at an Indian restaurant in Manhattan and there's music and an open bar. This protestant woman of Dutch/English descent openly welcomes any and all ethnic and religious holidays where food is a factor.
Well, that would exclude Yom Kippur, obviously, but the day off is still a nice perk.
Mainly because Jewish people don't have the numbers to push it through. Same reason Columbus Day is still a national holiday despite its complete affront to American Indians and their history.
I'm Jewish and I know why yom kippur is not a federal holiday. First of all there are only 6 million jews in the USA out of 310 million people. Also a big portion of American Jews do not celebrate Jewish holidays (including me)
Another issue that occurs to me is that Yom Kippur is a holiday of repentance and fasting. I'm not sure any Penitential holiday is a federal holiday. As mentioned Ash Wednesday and Good Friday aren't.
Of recent Jewish holidays Rosh Hashanah might be easier then as it's "Jewish New Year's." However I don't think even "Chinese New Year" is a federal holiday.
I don't know why you feel this way
I would expect that a historically christian country like the Uninted States
who was founded and populated by mostly christian will have instituted
christian holidays as public holidays.
Is that not the case with the jewish state? all their public holidays are jewish ones
I would feel wrong about demanding that christian holidays be instituted as official holidays in Israel
even thouh Jesus was born there, Israel is not a christian country.
Same here in the US, even if there are jewish people living here
it doesn't make the US a jewish country.
but with our freedom of religion people of all faiths should feel free to celebrate as they please.
I don't know why you feel this way
I would expect that a historically christian country like the Uninted States
who was founded and populated by mostly christian will have instituted
christian holidays as public holidays.
Is that not the case with the jewish state? all their public holidays are jewish ones
I would feel wrong about demanding that christian holidays be instituted as official holidays in Israel
even thouh Jesus was born there, Israel is not a christian country.
Same here in the US, even if there are jewish people living here
it doesn't make the US a jewish country.
but with our freedom of religion people of all faiths should feel free to celebrate as they please.
Really only Christmas is a public holiday. Easter and Good Friday generally are not, although in several of the Deep South states, they are. Federally, mail is delivered on Good Friday and most states operate public schools.
At this point, Christmas has both religious and secular significance.
Thus, Americans really only get the benefit of secular holidays off from work.
Some public schools chose to close on Good Friday and others do not. Same with the Jewish holidays.
Also I've never got Good Friday off either, and I don't think much retail is really closed where I live on Easter Sunday.
Many decades ago, the health dept. where I worked in downstate Ill. gave us Good Friday off; then our director was advised to not do so b/c of the separation of church and state issue. Here in CO, I've never had it off, nor have my kids been off school unless Good Friday happens to fall during spring break. The malls and other shops are open as usual. Easter is a Sunday; most people are off anyway.
Quote:
Originally Posted by davidals
I only support holidays if I get the day off. Labor Day? I'm too busy Laboring.
Since a majority of people here are Christians, it makes sense that we'd have Christmas off (and Easter--but of course, that's a Sunday). There's no other need to make any other religious occasion a national holiday (Yom Kippur, etc) because there aren't enough followers of those religions to make it a need for the whole country. I don't think Good Friday should be off for everyone (people who actually feel it's important--not a majority of Americans-- to them can take a day off for themselves) Specific states/cities may have reason to designate other holidays due to the percentages of their religious populations. I think employers should allow people to take days off for their holidays (like Yom Kippur) and schools should try to look at the religious holiday dates to avoid scheduling large exams, etc (when possible) OR make exceptions for students who may need to take the day off.
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