Thread by @JewWhoHasItAll

#DearTeachers,

I hope your #Pesach preparations are proceeding apace! As we all prepare for Pesach, some of our #Christian students and staff may be preparing for their own week of holidays, which, however, does not coincide with Pesach.

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The week commemorates the last week before the Christian prophet Yeshu's execution.

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This “Christian Holy Week,” more commonly known as Shavua Ha’Kadosh Ha’Christian, is fixed to days of the week according to a special calculation, with the first and last days falling on "Sunday,” their word for Firstday.

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Christian holidays all follow the Pope Gregory #calendar but they do not all follow the same liturgical calendar, and not all Christians keep the same Holy Week.

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Most Christians in #MedinatAmerica come from the Ashkenazi Christian ethnic group that celebrate Western dates of #HolyWeek. These dates can be found on GregCal.com; the Mizrachi Christian calendar may differ.

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Christian students will soon be observing the end of their period of the Second Christian Omer (sometimes known as “Lent”).

Like the Three Weeks, smachot are discouraged and meat consumption is curtailed. Interestingly, they *avoid* meat on Shabbat!

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However, there are no restrictions on live music, laundering clothing, or swimming for pleasure.

The end of this period of reflection will culminate in some special observances, much as the Three Weeks culminate in the Nine Days and then Tisha B'Av.

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The final week of the Second Christian Omer is what is referred to as Shavua Ha’Kadosh Ha’Christian. Shavua Ha’Kadosh Ha’Christian begins with "Palm" Firstday, which falls on Nisan 11th this year.

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You may see Christian shuls having small parades outdoors where they wave lulavs. They are not confused about the date— they are observing Palm Firstday, a Christian holiday unrelated to Sukkot.

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They reenact the Christian prophet Yeshu's arrival in Yerushalayim, when his followers waved lulavs to welcome him.

No etrog or other citrus is used, and there is no willow or myrtle in the lulav, only a palm branch.

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Many Christians save the palm branches from Palm “Sunday” to be burnt later— but not with their chametz. They hold it for a year to be burnt for ash for the next year's Yom “Wednesday” Ha’Ash.

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Some Christians like to display their used lulav tucked behind a depiction of their prophet in their home.

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On Yom “Monday” Ha’Kadosh it is customary for Christians to clean their homes in preparation for the upcoming holiday.

Though this day often falls shortly before Pesach, this cleaning is not related to Pesach and does not involve removal of chametz.

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In Yerushalayim, Christians visit the Har Ha’Bayit in commemoration of their prophet's disruption of foreign exchange businesses.

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However, gelt is not eaten in remembrance of this day. On Yom “Tuesday” Ha’Kadosh, followers of certain Christian minhagim prepare and bless the oil which will be used in religious ceremonies throughout the year.

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Some other minhagim sanctify their oils on Yom “Thursday” Ha’Kadosh instead. The blessing of oil has nothing to do with Chanukah or the Temple Menorah, and they do not eat fried foods — that was the other special “Tuesday” called Fat “Tuesday” (Christian Purim).

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Yom “Wednesday” Ha’Kadosh is also called Espionage Fourthday, because Christians believe the prophet Yeshu was denounced to the Roman occupying authorities on this day by his friend, Yehudah Ish-Kariyot.

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Yom “Thursday” Ha’Kadosh is also called "Maundy" by English-speaking Christians.

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On this day, Christians commemorate their prophet Yeshu's final meal before his execution. The holiday begins at sunset on Fifthday, but candles are not lit and no special kiddush is recited.

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Leil Maundy marks the official end of Christian Omer II and beginning of the final days of the week, referred to as "The Three Days,” which are also called "Triduum" in the Christian holy language of Latin.

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A special service is held at Christian shuls, sometimes including a foot washing ceremony, also referred to as "Maundy.”

Although it is a period of mourning that bears some resemblance to Tisha B'Av, leather shoes may be worn.

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Yom “Friday” Ha’Tov, despite its confusing name, is a day commemorating the execution of the Christian prophet Yeshu.

Some Christians commemorate the death of their prophet by reenacting or remembering 12 events from their prophet's final day.

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It is a somber day of mourning.

However, unlike on Yom Kippur or Tisha B’Av, the grisly executions of other religious scholars are not mentioned, and unlike Yizkor, it is not considered the appropriate time to mourn departed loved ones.

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Some Christian shuls hold a special service in the afternoon, roughly from chatzot ha’yom until mincha ketanah, during which Christian kinot may be recited, with drashas on Christian texts.

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Some Christian shuls may hold religious processions involving carrying a large beam with a crossbar, representing the Roman method of execution used on their prophet.

You may recognize this torture device if you have ever been in a Christian shul.

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This t-shaped structure is called a “cross” and it has become an important symbol for Christian believers. It is sometimes even incorporated into jewelry, printed on festive greeting cards, and written in frosting on baked goods.

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This “cross” sometimes even depicts the wounded and dying Christian prophet attached to it. If you see a child wearing this symbol on jewelry, please do not comment.

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A special exception to our school’s dress code permits this jewelry due to its religious significance, despite its graphic imagery.

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Some processions in honor of Yom “Friday” Ha’Tov may involve a person dressed as the Christian prophet.

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Even though the person looks injured, please do not call an ambulance.

The wounds are either fake, as a remembrance of their prophet's wounds, or they are intentionally inflicted and the person will seek medical attention on their own.

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The procession may feel shocking, but this is intentional, and it would be impolite to stare or interfere.

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Some Christian students may ask for this day off to participate in religious observances and they should be given an excused absence.

This year, Yom “Friday” Ha’Tov coincides with the second day of Pesach, so school is closed anyway.

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The “Christian Holy Week” reaches its end with Yom Shabbat Ha’Gadol v’Ha’Kadosh Ha’Christian, which, confusingly, does not necessarily fall on the same date as the usual Shabbat Ha’Gadol.

This year, it falls the week after Shabbat Ha’Gadol.

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Christians believe their prophet was executed on erev Shabbat, without time to bury him before Shabbat. Although Christians normally work on Shabbat, on this day Christians do not work in commemoration of the early followers of the prophet who did not bury him on Shabbat.

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Some Christian students may observe this time with a week-long pilgrimage to Yerushalayim or Vatican.

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Most of this week precedes Spring Break so students needing to miss class should provide a note from their Christian rabbi stating they will be out of school in observance.

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Christian teachers needing days off should already have put in for vacation three months ago; requests now may not be able to be accommodated.

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The separate Christian holiday of Yom Easter falls during Spring Break, so no accommodations will be necessary.

Thank you again for all your hard work! Pesach kasher v’sameach!

Principal Michal Feldman
#PublicSchool
#EduTwitter
#MedinatAmerica

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