Chanuka

Our school is now on Chanukah vacation. That is, our major vacation between Sukkot and Pesach falls out, every year, on Chanuka.

I have never worked in a school that times their vacation to Chanuka (and not, for example, to the end of December or some random dates at the end of January).

I like not having school on Chanuka. I love the idea of a Jewish school following the Jewish calendar. What a powerful message sent to the students all year, every year.

There is a drawback that I didn't expect. The entire in-school experience on Chanukah is lost. In-school parties, plays, dreidel exhibits, etc. etc. are all nonexistent. Our school is having a chagiga and so are my children's schools. But somehow it's not the same.