August
31, 2004
It’s Never Too Early to Plan:
OU Publishes 18-Year Calendar
to Help Jewish Workforce Observe Sabbath
and Holidays
Need to show your boss that you really need six days
off this year for the Jewish holidays? The Orthodox Union has just
published an 18-year Jewish calendar that lists the dates of all Jewish
festivals, holidays and fast days from 2004 (5764-65) through 2021
(5781-82).
According to David Olivestone, OU Director of Communications, the new
calendar will serve two purposes. “It’s useful and fun for all of us
just to see ahead when the various holy days occur, but this is really
for observant Jewish employees to be able to show their supervisors on
which days work is restricted by Jewish law, and what those restrictions
involve,” he said.
The calendar notes that Federal and State laws encourage employers to
accommodate employees’ religious observances, and directs them to a page
on the OU’s website,
www.ou.org/public/publib/rights.htm, to learn more about this.
The calendar includes a section, “Observing the Sabbath & Jewish
Holidays,” which describes how the festivals are observed and when the
holidays begin and end. “The Jewish day begins in the evening, which is
why the Sabbath starts well before sunset on Fridays and concludes about
one hour after sunset on Saturdays,” the calendar explains. It adds
that, “As in the case of the Sabbath, all holidays with Sabbath-like
restrictions also require that normal business, school, or secular
activities cease a few hours before sundown on the eve of the holiday to
allow adequate time for travel and preparations.”
In an age when electronic communications mean that no one is ever really
totally inaccessible any more, some employers may think that their
employees can still stay in touch on these days, even if they are not
physically present at work. So the calendar points out that restricted
activities include the use of cell phones, computers and e-mail. “We
want employees to be able to show their bosses that these restrictions
are serious and non-negotiable,” said Mr. Olivestone.
Another section, “A Brief Guide through the Jewish Year,” provides a
description of each holiday, the rules that pertain to it and whether or
not there are work restrictions. The Calendar itself is color-coded and
keyed to make it easy to follow. For example, the holidays of Pesach
(Passover) and Succot/Shmini Atzeret are colored red to signify that
there are Sabbath-like work restrictions the first and last two days,
while Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Shavuot are green to indicate that
Sabbath-like work restrictions apply on each of their days. Others, such
as Chanukah, Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Israel Independence Day) and Purim are
colored blue to signify that there are no work restrictions on them.
Calendars can
be ordered on-line at
ShopOU.org
at $1 each (includes shipping and handling). Discount pricing available
for bulk orders and complimentary copies are available to OU members.
To order in bulk or if you are an OU member - please contact our ShopOU
representative at: 212-613-8385 or via email Shopou@ou.org.
You can also send in orders by mail to: Orthodox Union 18-Year Calendar,
11 Broadway, 14th floor, New York, NY 10004, att: Ayelet.
* * *
The Orthodox Union, now in its second century of
service to the Jewish community of North America and beyond, is a world
leader in community and synagogue services, adult education, youth work
through NCSY, political action through the IPA, and advocacy for persons
with disabilities through Yachad and Our Way. Its kosher supervision
label, the
 , is the world’s
most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 275,000 products
manufactured in 68 countries around the globe.
www.ou.org
Comments?
Requests? Questions?
Orthodox Union
Department of Communications and
Marketing
David Olivestone
Director
Stephen Steiner
Director of Public Relations
Main Office:
11 Broadway, New York, NY 10004
Phone:
212.613.8318
Fax: 212-613-0763
E-mail:
steiners@ou.org |
media@ou.org |
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