US schools close for Jewish holidays in dozens of counties

Key points

• Closures are concentrated in the Northeast
• Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are commonly observed
• School calendars are decided locally

Public schools in parts of the United States close for major Jewish holidays, with such closures particularly visible around New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland, as well as in a smaller number of communities elsewhere in the country.

The holidays most commonly involved are Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement and the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.

New York City provides one of the largest examples. Its public schools closed for both days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur during the 2025-26 school year. For 2026-27, Rosh Hashanah falls on a weekend, so there is no additional weekday closure, while schools will close for Yom Kippur on September 21.

Philadelphia also closes its public schools for Yom Kippur. The district says its calendar is designed to recognise a range of cultural and religious observances; Rosh Hashanah falls on a weekend that year.

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The pattern reflects the decentralised nature of American education. There is no nationwide rule requiring US public schools to close for Jewish holidays. Calendars are generally set by states and, more commonly, individual school districts, meaning policies can differ even between neighbouring communities.

It does not mean Jewish holidays are ignored in unshaded areas. Some states protect students who miss school for religious observances without requiring schools themselves to close. New Jersey, for example, publishes an extensive list of religious holidays on which students may have excused absences.