I am writing to make it known to the Ohio University community that the Jewish holiday of Passover begins at sundown on April 16. Passover is the eight-day observance commemorating the freedom and exodus of the Israelites (Jewish slaves) from Egypt during the reign of the Pharaoh Ramses II.
The OU Interfraternity Council (IFC) has scheduled men's fraternity recruitment for the same week Passover begins. Although the majority of the students on campus do not celebrate Passover, there are some that do, and there is a Jewish fraternity on campus that is a member of IFC.
This is not the first time that the university has scheduled events in conflict with major Jewish holidays. This past fall, the university scheduled first-year student move-in day on the same day as Rosh Hashanah, one of the holiest days in the Jewish year. Although OU did accommodate Jewish students by letting them move in a day early, the planning of the university calendar needs to be more accommodating.
One would think OU would have learned from its mistake. But no, the university has gone ahead and scheduled next fall's Parents Weekend to begin the same day as Rosh Hashanah.
There have been other conflicts in the past between the schedule and Jewish holidays, too many to list. The higher-ups at OU need to be more aware and considerate to those students that don't belong to the majority faiths on campus.
Being a Jewish student on campus, I feel as if I am not being represented properly. Although OU did feel it was OK to schedule the upcoming Parents Weekend on Rosh Hashanah, they have no problem reducing the hours of the Ping and Aquatic Centers on Easter Sunday.
I urge students, faculty and staff to take a stance against OU's unfair scheduling. It is something we, as a community, must not accept.
— Lee J. Freedman, '04 freedman@ohio.edu
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