Services, School or Scrimmage?

Author: Mia Lieb-Lappen

Class starts at 9:30 a.m. Rosh Hashanah Shacharit morning service starts at 9:30 a.m. Basketball scrimmage is at 5:00 p.m. and lab ends at 5:15p.m., but Tashlich service to repent sins starts at 5:00 p.m. Absences are said to be excused. However, Organic Chemistry labs are next to impossible to make up. How should one prioritize a schedule of incomparable events? Twelve percent of the student body faced a similar dilemma last Wednesday as the Jewish community joined to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

Balancing academics with extracurricular activities hasn't been simple ever since high school ended. In fact, time management is one of the first lessons every first-year student is inevitably forced to confront upon entering college. How does one add religion to the agenda in a secular school that does not revolve its schedule around religious holidays. Class is increasingly harder to miss, and no family is around to support your decision.

In each faith, affiliates are sprawled out onto a broad spectrum of religious intensity. Religious practice varies based on ones self resolution, family traditions, and community efforts. As a result, various types of religious observation manifest which can become confusing as well as conflictual. With this in mind, what is Middlebury College's responsibility to each religion and how should the College support certain religious occations without showing partiality? Should Middlebury cancel classes to honor Tu Bishvat, Naw Ruz, Bon Festival, All Saints' Day, The Day of Aashurah and Akshaya Tritiya, holidays that the average student has never heard of?

Moreover, many people ask, 'why Christmas?' To answer this, Assistant Chaplin Rabbi Ira Schiffer related that Christmas has developed into a national commercial holiday of evergreen trees and presents to the effect that some celebrate the holiday in a secular way, void of any spiritual component.

"It is a practical reality," said Schiffer. "Religious minorities have to find a balance for themselves regarding their religious needs in a secular community. Recognizing that society can't take responsibility for one's religious needs is a reality check for the real world."

At High Holiday services last week students could be seen coming and leaving at various times throughout morning services. This is not because the rabbi announced stretch brakes and snack time in the middle of a Torah reading.

"Students just don't feel comfortable missing class," explained Past President of Hillel Rachel Bearman '08. "Students feel caught between religious life and scholarly life and tend to choose scholarly lives which have consequences," said Center for Spiritual and Religious Life Coordinator Ellen McKay. McKay works to spread awareness of important holidays to administration, through tools such as a multifaith calendar, in effort to encourage teachers to work around the two or three of the most important holidays for various religions. McKay is not asking for teachers to show Disney movies in class on sacred holidays. Rather, a slight adjustment in scheduling of major topics around Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippor and the two Eids would be appropriate and considerate.

"I think faculty should think in a broader term about who is on campus," said McKay. "I doubt any teacher thinks about when Eid is each year when scheduling assignments."

In addition to academic conflicts, athletic scheduling has been another basis of frustration.

"As one of many Jewish student-athletes at Middlebury, I find it very frustrating that for the last two years I have had to choose between observing the High Holidays and participating in athletic games," said Resia Bloch '09. "This year there are four volleyball matches scheduled on Yom Kippur, and last year, there were four on Rosh Hashanah. While my coaches and teammates support my decision to observe the Holiday, I feel as though I am letting down my team."

Another Religious Life Awareness Month is tentatively scheduled for this November to get the word out about these conflicts.

"We are showcasing how it is possible to pursue a religious life in our academic campus. It is good for you!" said Visiting Lecturer in Religion Lecturer Maria Hatjigeorgiou at the Religious Life Council meeting on Monday. The Religious Life Council offers an opportunity for representatives of different religious organizations to meet and support one another, share information, build enthusiasm in groups and collectively assure the establishment of religious diversity on campus. The council is connected with administration to see that the needs of each religious group are met. At the meeting, it was made clear that there are numerous and diverse opportunities to get involved and learn about religious life on campus. Furthermore, Methodist Minister and Chaplin Lori Jordan emphasized that students are encouraged to get involved even if they are not the most devout observers.

Middlebury oversees all student organizations including religious ones unlike larger universities where Hillel would be a completely separate entity with minimal affiliation with administration. This has fostered an increasing relationship between the Chaplin and the academic administration and thus the support of student endeavors to expand religious organizations.

Schiffer is pleased overall with this attention and sensitivity from administration. Bloch expressed similar appreciation of the College's effort to honor the Jewish New Year.

"While it is frustrating to have to miss class, reschedule quizzes and make up homework assignments, my professors, thus far, have been accommodating and understanding of my decision to observe Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur," she said. "While Mead Chapel is nothing like my local synagogue in California, I do enjoy the service and appreciate the connection between Hillel and the local Jewish community."

Now, in 2007, Mead Chapel bells playing to Hebrew melodies can be heard resonating throughout campus on Rosh Hashanah. Various academic departments are sponsoring religious events such as symposiums and fundraisers and the school is offering larger and more sufficient spaces for groups to congregate. According to Bearman, "facility-wise they go all out."

However, students of other faiths expressed discontent with the College's efforts to accommodate for religiously observant students. The majority of the campus is probably unaware that this week is Ramadan, the most important Islamic holiday. Zohra Safi '09, a junior from Afganistan who represented the Islamic Society, expressed the need for sufficient prayer space. Daily prayers are intended to be done together and a place for communal prayer is crucial. This year, Safi has been praying in her room and missing two of the five prayers a day for class. Moreover, during her first Ramadan at Middlebury she only found pork at the dinning hall for dinner.

"It is difficult and different here because everyone here is eating around you, whereas at home, there is less freedom and your mother would be cooking special meals," she said. Safi also explained that The Grille gives those observing Ramadan six dollars a day to bring food back for the night, as one fasts during the day.

Efforts have been made to accomodate the various growing religious needs on campus. However, there is still room for improvement.

"Middlebury College lags five to 10 years in terms of Jewish life and religious diversity compared to other schools we compare ourselves to," said Schiffer.