Below is the September 2022 Religious/Ethnic Holiday calendar.
As a reminder, CUNY’s policy on religious accommodation allows students to request and be granted academic and attendance accommodations based on religious belief. A link to the policy is posted online: VI. Religious Accommodations – The City University of New York (cuny.edu)
VI. Religious Accommodations
A. Requests for Accommodations
1. Students requesting a religious accommodation should contact the Office for Student Affairs at the College or unit in which they are enrolled. The Chief Student Affairs Officer, or a designee, and the student will engage in an interactive process with the goal of finding an acceptable accommodation.
2. Consistent with New York State Education Law § 224-a, students who are absent from school because of a religious belief will be given the equivalent opportunity, without any additional fee charged, to register for classes or make up any examination, study or work requirements missed because of such absence on any particular day or days.
As a frame of reference for anticipating student requests for religious accommodations, CUNY’s Interfaith Council has developed the following “Religious & Ethnic Holidays Calendar,” which serves as a helpful resource. This collaborative effort of faith leaders associated with our University gives us a good base of information to expand our knowledge of important observances and confirm student requests for accommodations. Please be mindful that some holidays’ observances may impact activity on days immediately before or following the official date. While not necessarily an exhaustive list, the chart below highlights the days of religious observance in the month of September.
For questions about CUNY’s policy on religious accommodations or to add additional observances, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Sophia McGee, Director of Intercultural Student Engagement and Dialogue, at sophia.mcgee@cuny.edu.
Thank you for your support and enduring commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion at CUNY.
By the Office of Student Affairs/CUNY
Religious Holidays September 2022
| Holiday | Description | Obligations/restrictions affiliated with the holidays | Dates | Traditions or Practices | |
| Paryushana Religion: Jain | A festival about forgiveness and compassion. | Observers may engage in specific dietary restrictions, including following a “sattvic” diet. | 8/24-9/1 | Daily meditation and prayer, daily “vyakhyans” or speeches, intentional practice of nonviolence, celebration on the final day (Samvatsari.) | |
| Pitru Paksha or Shraadh Religion: Hindu | A 16-day period in the Hindu calendar in which ancestors are remembered through the offering of prayers, food and water. | N/A | 9/10 – 9/25 | Rituals honoring the ancestors, feeding and caring for those in need. | |
| Coptic New Year/Nayrouz Religion: Coptic Orthodox Christian | A feast day that celebrates the beginning of the Coptic New Year. In addition, it memorializes both martyrs and confessors in the Coptic Orthodox Christian Church. | N/A | 9/11 | Ritual meal in celebration of the new year. | |
| Arbaeen Religion: Muslim (Shia) | Arbaeen marks the 40th day after Ashura, the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Mohammad. | N/A | 9/17 | Traditionally, Shia Muslims would memorialize by walking 50 miles between the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala. | |
| Mabon Religion: Pagan/Wiccan | Celebration marking the autumnal equinox in the Pagan and Wiccan religions. | N/A | 9/23 | Observers pick apples, which are a common symbol of the second harvest. | |
| Rosh Hashanah Religion: Jewish | Sometimes known as the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of the world and is the beginning of the Days of Awe, a ten-day period of introspection. | Rosh Hashanah is often celebrated with family. Festive meals are common and there are multiple synagogue services that usher in the holiday. Many people attend religious services, spend time with family and friends, and refrain from work, and using electronic devices, including driving. | 9/25*- 9/27 *Jewish holidays begin at sundown. | Jewish individuals often utilize Rosh Hashanah as a space for reflection and intention setting as they focus on their spiritual standing and relationships with others. | |
| Navaratri Religion: Hindu | A nine-night Hindu festival that celebrates the Goddess Durga in her nine forms. | Observers will often fast, or engage in other dietary restrictions. | 9/26 to 10/5 | Festivities include singing and dance performances and other rituals. The festival culminates on Dussehra, a celebration of the victory of good over evil. |
