This year, two Seminole County Public Schools are holding senior prom on Sat, Apr 12. Apr 12 is also the first night of Passover - and for many Jewish families, that’s a big problem.
To many teenagers, prom is a milestone and a tradition: one last chance to get dressed up and party with friends before moving on to their adult lives. For most high school students, going to prom isn’t an issue - for some, it’s even an expectation. But this year, Jewish students attending Lake Mary and Lyman High Schools have been presented with a choice: go to their senior prom, or attend the first night of Passover with their families and community.
Passover is a major Jewish holiday celebrating the liberation of the Jewish people from Egypt. According to Rabbi Yanky Majesky of Chabad North Orlando, even secular Jews will typically celebrate the first night of Passover with a Passover Seder dinner, a collective meal held with generations of family and community. Many teenagers, he said, are “in tears” at the prospect of having to choose between going to prom and observing one of their religious holidays.
There’s been a fair amount of upset among local Jewish families regarding the decision to schedule the prom on Passover. Robbin Broad, who has two teenagers in Lake Mary High School, explained that the conflict between prom and Passover began in December, when her daughter came home distressed with the news.
When her daughter brought her concerns to a staff member, the staff member was reportedly “dismissive” and “suggested that the holiday be somehow incorporated into the dance, such as with some ‘Passover decorations.’”
“There is clearly a lack of understanding about what a Jewish Holy day is and how wildly inappropriate that idea and response is,” Broad said. “It would be akin to or worse than scheduling Prom on Easter.”
According to Broad, this is not the first time that there has been a conflict between her children’s school events and their religious holidays.
In a letter to the school board addressing the issue, she outlined six other events over the last two calendar years where exams, plays, and school dances have collided with major Jewish holidays, which - thanks to Judaism being based on a lunar calendar - are scheduled years in advance.
Karin Barth, a Lyman High School mom, agreed, calling the conflict a “repeating issue” and stating that “our children deserve to celebrate their milestones without being forced to choose between participating in cherished school traditions and honoring their religious heritage.”
On behalf of the schools in question, SCPS Communications Officer Katherine Crnkovich outlined the process behind choosing a date for each year’s senior prom, stating that “each school selects a date based on several factors such as testing schedules, when spring break falls, grad bash, when seniors are wrapped up, [and] venue availability,” and that “the principal or administration team along with student representatives are involved.” Crnkovich also reported that the conflict between prom and Passover was not intentional.
“Every effort is made to be mindful of any religious or significant days when scheduling events,” she said. “However, it is not always possible to avoid an event falling on one of these days.”
While rescheduling this year’s prom may be a far-fetched goal with April quickly approaching, going forward Jewish families and school staff have been working toward increased cooperation between school administration and the local Jewish community, including the prioritization of “respect, inclusion, and understanding when planning school events in coming years,” according to Barth.
For more information on Passover and other Jewish holidays, visit https://www.chabad.org/holidays/default_cdo/jewish/holidays.htm.
