Greater Essex County District School Board



RELIGION BINDER UPDATES2019-2020Islamic Holy DaysDates are Approximate2019-2020School Year2020-2021School Year2021-2022 School YearFirst Day of RamadanApril 24, 2020April 13, 2021April 3, 2022Eid-ul-Fitr*May 24, 2020May 13, 2021May 3, 2022Eid-ul-Adha*July 31, 2020July 20, 2021July 10, 2022Ashura (Shia)September 9, 2019August 29, 2021August 9, 2022Pilgrimage (Hajj)Beliefs and PracticesHajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is compulsory for every Muslim who can afford it and is able to go at least one in their lifetime.School AccommodationStudents, whose families are traveling to Mecca, should be accommodated. Consideration should also be given to accommodating staff.RamadanFasting during RamadanBeliefs and PracticesThe month of Ramadan lasts for 29 or 30 days, depending on the lunar calendar. During Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink from the break of dawn to sunset. Ramadan is a continued period of enhanced commitment to self-restraint, and a time to focus on moral conduct. Fasting is required when children reach the age of puberty. However, younger children are encouraged by their parents to participate in the fast so they may become accustomed to the practice. Women and girls who are menstruating are exempt from fasting. Certain persons may be exempt from fasting for health or medical reasons.Accommodation of Religious Requirements, Practices and Observances GECDSB30Jewish holy days that don’t require accommodation:Chanukah (The Festival of Dedication or Festival of Lights)This commemoration goes back to the time when the Greek-Syrians, who ruled over the entire Middle East region, sought to prevent the Jews from observing their religion. In a series of battles led by Judah the Maccabee and his brothers, the Jews emerged victorious and re-established Jewish observance in the land.Purim (The Feast of Lots)Purim commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people who lived in the Persian Empire from the anti-Semitic Prime Minister Haman who plotted to annihilate the Jewish population.Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day)Yom HaShoah is a time of communal reflection, sadness, and loss as the six million Jews who were murdered by Hitler and the Nazis between 1939 and 1945 are remembered.Yom HaAtzmaut (Israeli Independence Day)Yom HaAtzmaut celebrates the rebirth of the State of Israel in1948.4 YEAR CALENDAR OF JEWISH HOLIDAYS2019-20202020-20212021-20222022-2023Rosh HashanahSept. 30Sept. 19Sept. 7Sept. 26Yom KippurOct. 9Sept. 28Sept. 16Oct. 5Sukkot (first day)Oct. 14Oct. 3Sept. 21Oct. 10Shemini AtzeretOct.21Oct. 10Sept. 28Oct. 17Simchat TorahOct. 22Oct. 11Sept.29Oct. 18Hanukkah (1st day)Dec. 23Dec. 11Nov. 29Dec. 19Tu B’ShevatFeb. 10Jan. 28Jan. 17Feb. 6PurimMarch 10Feb. 26March 17March 7Passover (last 2 nights)Apr. 15-16Apr. 3-4Apr. 22-23Apr. 12-13Pesach 1st and 2ndApr. 8-9March 27-28Apr. 16-17March 6-7ShavuotMay 29May 17 June 5May 27Lag Ba’OmerMay 12April 30May 19May 9Fast of TishabuvJuly 30July 18Aug. 7July 27Eve of Rosh HashanahSept. 29Sept. 18Sept. 6Sept. 25Accommodation of Religious Requirements, Practices and Observances GECDSB49Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev JiOn this holy day, Sikhs remember those who have suffered for their faith and the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, who sacrificed his life for religious expression. Guru Arjan Dev Ji built the Golden Temple at Amritsar and compiled the Adi Granth, the Sikh scriptures.ParkashParkash celebrates the introduction of the Adi Granth to the Golden Temple.Investiture of Guru Granth Sahib (Eternal)This holy day celebrates the passing on of the guruship from 10 living gurus to the eternal Guru, Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book.Bandi Chhor DivasThis holy day celebrates the release of the sixth guru, Guru Hargobind Ji, and 52 other religious prisoners of various faiths from jail, and the Guru’s subsequent journey to the holy city of Amritsar. This day coincides with the Hindu festival of Divalhi.Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur JiGuru Tegh Bahadur Ji sacrificed his life for freedom of religious expression and in the protest against forced conversion of Hindus to another faith.School AccommodationScheduling of all school and school-related activities should take Sikh holy days into account. In the case of a conflict with assignments, exams, and major tests, Sikh students should be accommodated.Holy days that most Sikhs will be absent from school:DateDateDateBirthday of Guru Gobind SinghJanuary 5, 2019January 5, 2020January 5, 2021Baisakhi Day*April 14, 2019April 14, 2020April 14, 2021Birthday of Guru NanakNovember 12, 2019November 30, 2020November 19, 2021Accommodation of Religious Requirements, Practices and Observances GECDSB67APPENDIX 2Religious Holy Days2019-2020This summary of Religious Holy Days is adapted from the Multicultural Calendar 2019-2020, which was developed through consultation with Creative Cultural Communications; a non-profit organization.Schools and workplaces may wish to use this Calendar as a general guide to the observances of members of their diverse school communities. It is provided for information only, and the dates listed correspond to the academic calendar year 2019-2020. While the names of the observances will remain the same, the dates for solar and other calendars will change from year to year.Schools are reminded to follow collective agreements for the granting of requests for leave from members of staff.For more detailed information please refer to the monthly “Multicultural Calendar” distributed to each school through the Diversity Office. To obtain a copy or for more information, please contact the Diversity Office at 255-3200 ext. 10213.Accommodation of Religious Requirements, Practices and Observances GECDSB73Summary by Faith of Religious Holy DaysSeptember 2019 to August 2020(Capitalized days are the most important, and some people may abstain from work. Some dates are approximate because they are determined based on the lunar calendar)Religious DenominationHoly DaysDates Noted are Year 2019-2020 Observances (for subsequent years, check the latest Multicultural Calendar)BAH?’? (All holy days begin at sunset the day before the date listed, and end at sundown on the date listed)The Birth of the BábThe Birth of Bahá’u’lláhThe Day of the CovenantAscension of Abdu’l-BaháIntercalary DaysAlá—The Bahá’í FastNow Ruz (New Year)RIDVAN BEGINSDeclaration of the BábAscension of Bahá’u’lláhMartyrdom of the BábOctober 29, 2019October 30, 2019November 26, 2019November 28, 2019Feb 26 –29, 2020March 1-19, 2020March 20, 2020APRIL 20, 2020May 23, 2020May 28, 2020July 9, 2020BUDDHISMPavarana*Kathina*CHINESE/LUNAR NEW YEARWesakWassana*October 13, 2019October 14, 2019JANUARY 25, 2020May 7, 2020July 5, 2020CHRISTIANITYOccidental calendar (Gregorian)Coptic & Eastern Orthodox (Julian) CalendarChristian – Mormon All Saints’ DayAll Souls DayFirst Sunday of AdventSt. Nicholas DayChristmas DayEpiphanyThree Kings DayChristmas – Armenia Candlemas DayShrove TuesdayAsh Wednesday (Lent Begins)St. Joseph’s DayAnnunciationPalm SundayMaundy ThursdayGOOD FRIDAYEasterEaster MondaySt. George’s DayAscensionPentecostAssumptionTheophanyCHRISTMASNew YearTimket (Ethiopian Orthodox)Great Lent BeginsHoly ThursdayHOLY FRIDAYPasha/EasterEaster MondayAscensionPentecostJoseph Smith’s BirthdayOrganization of the ChurchPioneer DayNovember 1, 2019November 2, 2019December 1, 2019December 6, 2019December 25, 2019January 6, 2020January 6, 2020January 6, 2019February 2, 2020February 25 2020February 26, 2020March 19, 2020March 25, 2020April 5, 2020April 9, 2020APRIL 10, 2020April 12, 2020April 13, 2020April 23, 2020May 21, 2020May 31, 2020August 15, 2020January 6, 2020JANUARY 7, 2020January 14, 2020January 20, 2020March 2, 2020April 16, 2020April 17, 2020April 19, 2020April 20, 2020May 28, 2020June 7, 2020December 23, 2019April 6, 2020July 24, 2020HINDUISMNavratriDurga Puja (Ashtami)DussehraDIWALILohriMakar SankrantiSaraswati PujaVasant PanchamiShivaratriHoliRam NavamiBaisakhi*Raksha Bandhan*Sept-Oct 7, 2019October 6, 2019October 8, 2019 OCTOBER 27, 2019 January 13, 2020January 14, 2020January 29, 2020January 29, 2020February 21, 2020March 10, 2020April 2, 2020April 13, 2020August 3, 2020ISLAMIslam IsmailiDay of Hajj (Day of Arafat)EID-UL-ADHAFirst Day of Muharram (New Year)ASHURAEid-Maulad-un-NabiFirst Day of RamadanLaylat al-QadrEID-UL-FITRAga Khan’s BirthdayNow RuzImamat DayJuly 30, 2020JULY 31, 2020August 20, 2020SEPTEMBER 9, 2019November 9, 2019 April 24, 2020May 20, 2020MAY 24, 2020December 13, 2019March 20, 2020July 11, 2020JAINISMAnanta ChaturdasiKsamavaniMahavira NirvanaLokashah JayantiMahavira JayantiKahayan TrityaSeptember 12, 2019September 12, 2019October 27, 2019November 4, 2017April 6, 2020April 18, 2018JUDAISM (All holy days begin at previous sundown)*Some Jews may abstainfrom workROSH HASHANAHYOM KIPPURSukkotShemini AtzeretSimchat TorahHanukkahPurimPESACHPASSOVERYom HaShoahShavuotTish'a B'AvSEPT 30- OCT 1, 2019 OCTOBER 9, 2019October 14-15, 2019October 21, 2019October 22, 2019Dec 23-30, 2019March 10, 2020APRIL 8-9 2020APRIL 15-16, 2020April 21, 2020May 29-30, 2020July 30, 2020SHINTOShubun no hi (Autumn Equinox Day) Tohji-Tasai (Ceremony of Winter Solstice)Gantan-Sai (New Year)Shunki-Korei-Sai (Spring Equinox)Oh-Harai-Taisai (Grand Purification Ceremony) September 23, 2019December 21, 2019January 1, 2020March 19, 2020June 30, 2020SIKHISM (The old lunar calendar is Bikarami, the new solar calendar is Nanakshahi). The dates are mostly Nanakshahi unless otherwise indicated.DIWALIGuru Nanak’s BirthdayMartyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Guru Gobind Singh’s Birthday*LohriHoliHola Mohalla (Bikarami)BAISAKHIMartyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev JiOctober 27, 2019November 12, 2019November 24, 2019January 5, 2020January 13, 2020October 26, 2019March 14, 2020APRIL 14, 2020June 16, 2020WICCAMabon (Harvest Ride)SamhainYuleImbolcOstara BeltaneLitha Lammas September 23, 2019October 31, 2019December 21, 2019February 2, 2020March 19, 2020May 1, 2020June 20, 2020August 1, 2020ZOROASTRIANISMDeath of Prophet ZarathustraGahambar MaidyaremGahambar Hamaspathmaedem*NOW RUZ (New Year – Fasli)Birthday of Prophet ZarathustraGahambar MaidyozaremGahambar Maidyoshem*December 26, 2019December 31, 2019– Jan. 4, 2020March 15– March 19, 2020March 20, 2020March 26, 2020April 30 – May 4, 2020June 29 – July 3, 2020Accommodation of Religious Requirements, Practices and Observances GECDSB77 ................
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