Jewish Moms, are you keeping your kids home tomorrow?

[Fairy]

Where I grew up, it was institute day or just a day off district-wide on Passover and the high holidays. Here not so much. I"m not working tomorrow for Rosh Hashanah, and I'm planning to keep DS home (2nd grade). but ... we're not going to Services. So ... a) are you keeping your school-aged kids home, and b) if you're not going to Services, what are you doing?

[swissair81]

The public school district near me has so many Jewish students, they close for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. My kids go to a private Jewish school, so they are off for two days. I'm not really going to services, because I have a whole bunch of little kids, but I will go hear shofar both days.

[Tondi G]

My DS2 has the day off (neighborhood public school), my DS1 doesn't (charter school) both have the day off on the 26th for Yom Kippur. The Charter School did send a message saying we want all families and children who celebrate this holiday to feel comfortable in observing their faith without any pressure to attend school on this day, especially given the way our school calendar has been structured.

We do not go to services so I think my DS1 will go to school. Better to be there and learning and not have to catch up on a day of homework.

[nfowife]

We dont have the day off and since we aren't going to services my kids will be at school. If we were going to services I'd keep them home.

[hillview]

private montessori school here which is closed tomorrow (we are not Jewish)

[Beth24]

Our schools are closed tomorrow as well.

[ett]

We're not Jewish but our town has a lot of Jewish students so school is closed tomorrow. (Also closed on Yom Kippur).

[joonbug]

Not Jewish either but preschool is closed tomorrow (and Yom Kippur next week as well)!

[erosenst]

Surprised to see so many schools closed... Interesting poll in there somewhere, as nationally very very few are.

DDs school is probably 10 (maybe 15 now) pct Jewish, although her k-3 rooms have each been 20-25 pct. The district as a whole has a much lower percentage. We keep her home for RH and UK, but not any others, and do take her to services at least part of the day.

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[sidmand]

Both kids have no school tomorrow or Yom Kippur. This is the first year I can remember Yom Kippur being no school which I always thought odd!

But we aren't going to services. I have enough trouble attending things they might like. We're not even doing family dinner since one is on Tuesday and they do have school then and the other is just too tricky.

They've always had the first day of Rosh Hashanah off.

[Fairy]

Here in the suburbs of chicago, all (or nearly) schools are closed on Jewish holidays if it's a Jewish area. Two of the burbs bordering us are closing for the Jewish holidays, but my burb has veeeery few Jews (maybe 5%) so I'm frustrated on what to do. Tho I don't expect them to close with our %age. I wanna keep him home but not to watch tv all day. I think we'll go somewhere but not sure where.

[KDsMommy]

We're not Jewish but our public schools are closed tomorrow and next Wednesday.

[llama8]

I thought all public schools close for the Jewish holidays. I am very surprised to see that it is not national. Maybe because I am in New York?

[wendibird22]

I'm in NY (western). No schools in our area close. The college I work at doesn't close but a college 1hr away does close for the high holy days.


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[new_mommy25]

I thought all public schools close for the Jewish holidays. I am very surprised to see that it is not national. Maybe because I am in New York?

I didn't even know tomorrow is a holiday. We do have State holidays that are unique to Hawaii, but we don't close for religious holidays of any religion (Christmas is called Winter Break).

[sidmand]

Ah yes, I didn't answer the second part...we aren't going to services but we made a long weekend at our cottage. So, not doing anything particularly religious but hopefully doing some swimming or playing outside or family games.

[Twin Mom]

DC are with XH for RH and I think he is keeping them home and probably taking them to services. I am going to work though. I will take off YK and take the DC to services then.

Schools here are not closed for either holiday. Honestly, I would be surprised if most people even know its a Jewish holiday here in the south. I am from NY where schools are closed for both holidays. Sometimes I miss living in the North!

[scriptkitten]

my kids go to private preschool and its closed.

[LD92599]

We are not jewish but live in a very heavily jewish populated area (although my town per se isn't...but the surrounding ones are!).

Our town schools are close tomorrow and then for Yom Kippur next week. Some districts here are closed both Mon and Tue.

[scrooks]

I too am surprised so many schools are closed tomorrow. No schools in our are closed as far as I know.

[Fairy]

It really truly depends on how heavily jewish your area is. A lot of concentration up here. My town not much. Not sure why Ihave this issue now and not kindy and 1st grade. Either they fell on weekends, or I've just plum forgot! Probably the latter, I'm forgetting my own name half the time. Pre-k and daycare was jewish, so they were always closed.

[JustMe]

Sigh, no. Nothing is closed here, although where I grew up schools and other things were. It would be a horrible time for me to miss work and the kids to miss school--and I am just not anywhere near religious enough to justify that.

[Pyrodjm]

I thought all public schools close for the Jewish holidays. I am very surprised to see that it is not national. Maybe because I am in New York?

I've lived in NYC my whole life and was thinking the same thing.

[Seitvonzu]

tomorrow is my birthday. it was supposed to also be my child's first "real" (meaning 2.5 hours , big break huh?) day of preschool this year. i was looking forward to 2 hours of serious me time with coffee, a pastry and a book :)

alas, her *lutheran* preschool follows the public schools calendar and they are off tomorrow and next wednesday.

i don't begrudge people their holidays, but i do wonder when my child will ever be in school this year :(

[Zansu]

DS1 goes to public school, and it is a regular school day, although they are aware that DS and other kids will be out for the holiday.

DS2 goes to Jewish day school and they are off tomorrow and Tuesday (and what seems like the rest of September and October).

Both boys will go to the early, more child-friendly service with me in the morning, which they have been doing for several years. Grandparents will join us.

When the boys were younger, I would take them to the Tot Service with my mom, then my mom would take them home and I would stay for the traditional service with my dad.

DH usually goes to Erev services with me, but does not take any of the days off.

I usually go to second day RH services and then go to work.

[Philly Mom]

DD is in daycare but I have kept her home today and will keep her home next week even though she is too young for services and we don't even belong to a synagogue near our house. We did go to a music service at my parents' synagogue last night. Where we live, all schools are closed today and next Wednesday. My brother is a teacher In Washington. He is working today but taking off next Wednesday for a personal day.

[egoldber]

Either they fell on weekends,

Yes, the last couple years Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (or at least the majority of the holiday) were on weekends.


DS2 goes to Jewish day school and they are off tomorrow and Tuesday (and what seems like the rest of September and October).

Yes, this a rough year. My kids after care is closed today and tomorrow, next Tuesday and Wednesday and then the NEXT Monday and Tuesday for Sukkot and then the NEXT Tuesday for Simchat Torah (thank goodness that Monday is a federal holiday).

[s2k]

Where I grew up, it was institute day or just a day off district-wide on Passover and the high holidays. Here not so much. I"m not working tomorrow for Rosh Hashanah, and I'm planning to keep DS home (2nd grade). but ... we're not going to Services. So ... a) are you keeping your school-aged kids home, and b) if you're not going to Services, what are you doing?
We are keeping our kids home today and are going to services. I go to services tomorrow but DH and the kids go to school. My older son (3rd grade) was complaining and said he'd rather go to school than services - but that's not an option for us. When I grew up our school was open - I believe there are more Jews in the area now and they are closed on the jewish holidays. There aren't enough Jews where we live now to have the schools closed.

[Fairy]

Thanks for all the input! As it happens, I got food poisoning last night, so I was down for the count till just about an hour ago. Just downed some soup (not chicken, unfortunately ...). I'm, therefore, doin' a whole lotta nuttin' today as DS watches The Upside Down Show DVD he got for his birthday, and I just lay low. Next year I'm going to try to get to a family service, I think. I don't belong anywhere, so will be trickier around here, but I've got a couple places in mind.

Happy New Year, everyone!!

[Zansu]

Fairy

Check with the Federation. Lots of synagogues will offer free tickets for new families, and this is always a good time of year to go shul shopping.

[khalloc]

Not Jewish, but I've never lived anywhere where schools were closed for Jewish holidays.

[Fairy]

Fairy

Check with the Federation. Lots of synagogues will offer free tickets for new families, and this is always a good time of year to go shul shopping.

Not a bad idea, but then I will feel bad taking their free tickets when we won't likely join. DH has an issue paying for dues, as it's free to be a Catholic. Yes, you are supposed to tithe, but you never have to, and they'll still let you come and use their services. Not so with a synogogue. I've had this talk a thousand times over, he understands that we don't have an archdiocese, but we still have an impasse there. We're working on it ...

[Fairy]

Not Jewish, but I've never lived anywhere where schools were closed for Jewish holidays.

Well, then you've clearly never lived in the Chicago area. Or NY. Or LA ...

[strollerqueen]

Our schools are closed tomorrow as well.
:yeahthat: I just find it amusing that they call it "Admissions Day."

[Philly Mom]

DD is in daycare but I have kept her home today and will keep her home next week even though she is too young for services and we don't even belong to a synagogue near our house. We did go to a music service at my parents' synagogue last night. Where we live, all schools are closed today and next Wednesday. My brother is a teacher In Washington. He is working today but taking off next Wednesday for a personal day.

[Jai]

Not Jewish, but I've never lived anywhere where schools were closed for Jewish holidays.

Me either, but I have spent most of my life in the South.

[ast96]

My kids had the day off! And next week too, for Yom Kippur. I'm not Jewish -- but I love the day off!

[ilfaith]

Growing up in New York and New Jersey my schools were always closed on the High Holidays. I think it was probably as much for the number of Jewish teachers than students.

This is my boys' first year at a public school, after spending several years at Jewish preschools and day schools (where we had days off for ALL the Jewish holidays...in fact there were probably as many holidays as school days from mid-September through mid-October).

We live in an area where there are only a handful of other Jews. Here both my older boys' public school and my youngest son's Montessori preschool are open for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. In fact, I got an email today that the preschool is holding its parents' open house next Wednesday. I will wait until tomorrow to explain why we won't be attending (as it would be hypocritical for me to send them an email on one holiday to complain about them holding the open house on another holiday).

I did keep the boys home from school today, and we did go to services this morning. They will go to school tomorrow, and I am debating whether I will go to temple by myself (DH is going out of town on a business trip).

[azazela]

I'm in NJ. Most (if not all) districts in our area close for two days of Rosh Hashana and one day of Yom Kippur. I have no idea if this is state-wide or not. NJ does have a sizable Jewish population.

OP - I'm not sure what I would do in your situation. Maybe develop a family tradition that is Rosh Hashana-specific but doesn't involve going to services if that's not your thing. A trip to an apple orchard? Tashlich (http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/whatistashlich.htm) is a fun/interesting/meaningful tradition that does not have to be particularly religious. You can frame it as regrets/bad choices instead of sins.

[azazela]

I didn't even know tomorrow is a holiday. We do have State holidays that are unique to Hawaii, but we don't close for religious holidays of any religion (Christmas is called Winter Break).

That's ok. Our local school district calls two days off this week and one day off next week a "fall recess". :ROTFLMAO:

[Fairy]

I'm in NJ. Most (if not all) districts in our area close for two days of Rosh Hashana and one day of Yom Kippur. I have no idea if this is state-wide or not. NJ does have a sizable Jewish population.

OP - I'm not sure what I would do in your situation. Maybe develop a family tradition that is Rosh Hashana-specific but doesn't involve going to services if that's not your thing. A trip to an apple orchard? Tashlich (http://judaism.about.com/od/holidays/a/whatistashlich.htm) is a fun/interesting/meaningful tradition that does not have to be particularly religious. You can frame it as regrets/bad choices instead of sins.

Nice idea. I like it.

[mominma]

Our public schools in MA were closed today and tomorrow for Rosh Hashanah and next week for Yom Kippur - private daycare is open during both holidays.

[Beth24]

Fairy I'm sorry you had to spend the day not feeling well. I will cross my fingers that food poisoning does not become your new year's "tradition"! Btw, I enjoy taking my kids to family services, something we can all enjoy. At our synagogue family services are aleays open to anyone, while tickets are required for adult services.

Happy New Year to you and your family, and to everyone else celebrating the Jewish New
Year.

[Fairy]

Fairy I'm sorry you had to spend the day not feeling well. I will cross my fingers that food poisoning does not become your new year's "tradition"! Btw, I enjoy taking my kids to family services, something we can all enjoy. At our synagogue family services are aleays open to anyone, while tickets are required for adult services.

Happy New Year to you and your family, and to everyone else celebrating the Jewish New
Year.

Thanks :-). Yeah, it sucked. But what can ya do.