Today, Jewish students are celebrating one of the holiest holidays of their year: Rosh Hashanah.
The phrase "Rosh Hashanah" means "Head of the Year." It is celebrated over two days starting on the first day of the Jewish month of Tishri. Jewish people typically celebrate with a variety of services, meals, and prayers over the course three days.
But this year, some USC students feel compelled to go to class instead of religious services so they don't fall behind.
"I have a hard time celebrating fully in college," said Kasey Katz, a USC junior. "I don't feel comfortable missing class. I don't like playing catch up all the time. So while I do feel guilty for not going [to services], I feel like it would cause me more anxiety to go to temple and miss all that work."
That anxiety is echoed through several Jewish students on campus. Cailen Krasnoff, another junior at USC, also feels she cannot attend services today because she does not want to miss class. Instead, she celebrated last night with family and friends. Krasnoff says she is more worried about upcoming holidays.
"I know in two weeks I have a test on Yom Kippur, the most important Jewish holiday," Krasnoff said. "It's basically the equivalent of Easter. I can take it late but then I would be behind. It is like being Jewish is a burden to me and my learning."
The USC Dean of Religious Life, Varun Soni, say he understands why students may feel at a disadvantage when it comes to missing class for observance. But, he hopes students don't feel like they have to choose between observing holidays and being a good student. And he says USC has policies to back it up.
"Every summer I send out an email to all faculty warning them of specific holidays that are significant to students and I encourage them not to plan anything that can't be made up," Soni said. "There is a religious holiday policy and it is fairly robust. Professors should and will observe this policy."
Gabriel Federman, a USC junior, says he has experienced this accommodation. His International Relations professor moved a midterm forward one class period after a student reminded the professor of the holiday. Federman is missing class today because his Writing 340 professor accommodated the absence. But last year, Federman did not feel as comfortable missing class for high holidays.
"I remember last year I went to classes on Yom Kippur," Federman said. "I felt like I would fall too far behind if I missed certain classes."
But still, some students have experienced more problems than falling behind in schoolwork. Fallon, for example, broke her fast on Yom Kippur last year to take a midterm.
"My professor made it like a huge deal that I couldn't miss it," Fallon said. "And it was almost, to me, like borderline anti-semitism. I know that's a huge word to throw around… But it just wasn't okay… She said I could take the midterm another day but it would be different and harder."
Fallon says she did not bring this incident to the attention of the university. But, Dean Soni says that should students run into difficulties with academic accommodations the Office of Religious Life is here to help.
"We take religious accommodation very seriously at USC," Soni said. "At the end of the day it is up to the student to use this policy to help them… And if there is any kind of issue, the Office of Religious Life will mediate."
Fallon says it is not unreasonable to ask that USC cancel classes for one day of Rosh Hashanah and one day of Yom Kippur (her high school did that). But at the very least, she wishes professors created syllabi more sensitive to the high holidays.
"I think that explaining to professors, especially foreign professors, the gravity of the high holidays of Judaism will help a lot," Fallon said.
Chabad at USC is hosting a Taschlish service tonight at 6pm as well as a candle lighting service at 7:11pm followed by a holiday dinner.
USC Hillel hosted a Rosh Hashanah service and lunch today at 10am, and will host another tomorrow at the same time. Candle lighting will occur at 6:17pm tonight and tomorrow night followed by traditional services.
Annenberg Media