Passover – Resources and Policies

Passover or Pesach in Hebrew, is a Jewish holiday commemorating the Biblical story of Exodus that begins this year at sundown on Thursday, April 1st and endsThursday, April 9th. Jews around the world mark the start of Passover by attending structured meals called ‘Seders,’ (say-der) and many change their diet for the duration of the holiday to exclude food items that have leavened or fermented, in remembrance of the Israelites’ rushed exodus from Egypt. This food category, known as ‘hametz,‘ includes bread, pasta, oatmeal, most beer and liquor, and foods derived from wheat, barley, rye, oats and spelt. Passover is observed for eight days by those living outside Israel, and only seven days in Israel. You may wish someone a happy Passover by saying “Chag Pesach sameach,” which means ‘happy Passover.’

Religious Observances Policy & Guidance 

Existing religious observances academic policy note that:  

• Instructors should announce early in the semester that your students must notify you within the first two weeks of class of the specific days or dates on which they request relief.
  • Including this information on your course syllabus is encouraged, to make sure your students are informed of the policy. 
• Make‑ups may be scheduled before or after the regularly scheduled requirements.
• It is understood that instructors may set reasonable limits on the total number of days claimed by any one student.
  • Occasionally, students may not fully understand the necessity for prior notice, and under these circumstances we urge you to be as flexible as possible. Our policy seeks to be sensitive to the needs of individual students.

Religious Observances Guidelines

With those policies in mind, instructors should follow these guidelines:

• Proactively plan ahead to avoid conflicts between examinations or major course activities and religious observances, when possible.
  • A non-exhaustive list of cultural, religious, and ethinc holidays is provided by the Office of the Secretary of the Faculty. Additional observances may exist that are not included on this list.  
  • You can also add religious observances to your Outlook calendar.
• Communicate with your students early (e.g., mention in your course syllabi and class announcements), and highlight the shared responsibility – students are responsible for notifying instructors within the first two weeks of classes of the date(s) on which they request relief due to a religious observance.

• Accept students’ requests at face value.
• Be prepared to offer students alternative pathways to fulfill course requirements (including class attendance) in cases where conflicts can’t be avoided.