Archive: Opinions

Over twenty years ago I heard a local Rabbi's wife speak about being part of a minority religion in a mostly Christian society.  She was quite bitter about Ithaca High School graduations that were scheduled on the Jewish Sabbath, which takes place between sundown Friday until sundown Saturday.  She said the scheduling forced her to choose between the dictates of her faith and her children's graduation ceremonies.  Choosing between God and a child -- wasn't that what Abraham had to do in Genesis?

That talk stuck in my mind all these years, in part because Lansing has not always been respectful of Jewish holidays.  On several occasions the Board of Education has scheduled meetings on the first night of Passover, a major Jewish holiday that falls on school board Mondays some years.

That is why I was gratified this week when I looked at the meeting schedule to find that the April meetings had been moved around.  The meeting that would normally have conflicted with Passover next Monday was held a week earlier.

Not holding a meeting on Passover is largely symbolic of a school district that respects and pays attention to all its constituent.  Symbolic, because, let's face it -- almost no one goes to Lansing school board meetings, and when they do there aren't a heck of a lot of Jews there.  But important, because being sensitive to major Jewish holidays tells the Jewish portion of Lansing that it is included in the school community.  If a Jew wants to weigh in on some school issue or just hear what is going on in the district, not scheduling on a holiday says he or she is welcome.

It is worth noting that Jesus was Jewish, so would not have been able to attend a school board meeting next Monday if He decided to come back and see how things are going in Lansing.

You would especially expect this kind of sensitivity in New York State, which has the second largest Jewish population in the world (it used to have the largest, but Israel now holds that distinction).  Not that this makes Jews any any less of a minority in Lansing.  But if you believe governments should be inclusive, then they... well... should be inclusive.

If you have ever tried to schedule a meeting of more than two people you know how hard it is.  Scheduling school board meetings is much harder.  Sometimes you have to accomodate the majority, whether it's a religious majority or just the largest number of people who can make the meeting at a specific time.  I think most people, minorities included, understand that.

And most people don't know a lot about other people's religions, nor do they have much reason to.  That is a fact of life.  But it has always seemed to me that representatives should make themselves aware of the needs of their constituents and adjust policy accordingly.  Because elected officials and municipal and school officials are not average people.  They represent everybody in their district, not just the people who are like them or agree with them.

I am not suggesting that every religious holiday should be avoided.  If they did that there would be no school board meetings, or, for that matter, school.  I mean, really, isn't every day a Saint's day for some people?  I looked it up -- today (April 11th) celebrates Saint Marguerite d'Youville, founder of the Grey Nuns.

But major holidays are important.  You wouldn't even conceive of a school board meeting being held on Christmas or Easter.  Yet Lansing has a history of doing that on Passover which, while not one of the High Holy Days, certainly is a biggie.

What was different this year was that Superintendent Pettograsso payed attention, tried not to schedule on Passover, and succeeded.  As far as I know she is the first Lansing school superintendent to do so, and it means a lot.

It should mean a lot to the majority as well.  It is certainly a good reflection on a Christian society when it gives everyone an opportunity to participate.  It should be especially meaningful to Lansing Jews, who, I hope will take a moment to thank Ms. Pettograsso for making this effort.

It's not that you should have to go to every school board meeting.  It's that you can if you want to.  This year Lansing Jews had that option.

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