Today marks the beginning of Rosh Hashana - the Jewish New Year marked by 10 days of looking back into the past year for personal wrong-doings to other people. In those 10 days, Jewish practice dictates followers to ask for forgiveness from family and friends they have hurt. Yom Kippur, one of the holiest days of the Jewish calendar, immediately follows when Jews finally ask forgiveness from God. But Saturday is Homecoming. And many Jewish alumni say they will not be able to return to the University to join in the celebration because they will be engaging in a traditional dinner with family. Moshe Cohen, interim program coordinator for Jewish Life and math graduate student, said Hillel, a Jewish University organization, planned to invite Jewish alumni back to campus for Homecoming to highlight the growing visibility and achievements of Jewish life at the University. Some recognition include awards to Hillel from the Center for Student Leadership and Involvement, national grants to Hillel and the passing of the first anniversary of Sigma Alpha Mu, the first Jewish fraternity. "We wanted to show alumni who may have left at a time where there wasn't much activity, that Jewish life is back," Cohen said. But Cohen said he noticed early this semester that Homecoming had been planned on Rosh Hashana, and he began contacting administrators, requesting that they consider minority groups' holidays in the academic calendar. Cohen said Hillel decided to not invited alumni back because Jews traditionally spend that night with their family. "They are the closest people to you, so it's important to be there the first day to apologize to them. Because they come first," Cohen said. "We didn't want to challenge anyone's tradition." Dean of Students KC White said traditionally the University has planned its academic calendar around Judeo-Christian holidays but is looking to expand its perspective. Frank Cartledge, vice provost for Academic Affairs, will be heading a committee designed to ensure minority holidays are considered in the 2007-2008 academic calendar. "The overall goal is to be more inclusive, not just religious, but all other ethnic groups," White said. Cohen said Constitution Day was originally planned to be observed by the University on Oct. 2, but White worked with Hillel to move it to Oct. 3 because it overlapped with Yom Kippur. James Bullman, Hillel member and president of Tigers for Israel, was appointed to the committee. Bullman said he found it surprising that the University scheduled Homecoming on Rosh Hashana. "It's very discouraging," Bullman said. "And it's weird for me because Skip Bertman, [University] athletics director, is Jewish, and Tulane is a higher populated Jewish university. It's funny but unfortunate. Next year we'll make sure stuff like that doesn't happen for any religion not just of the Jewish faith." Cohen said he is optimistic about the direction the University is headed. "I don't think it was done maliciously, just ignorance," Cohen said. "I tend to be an optimist. In as short as a couple months - the University has taken action to see that it doesn't happen again."
----- Contact Rebekah Allen at rallen@lsureveille.com
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