In the last Holidays and Observances episode of the academic year, Brenda is going to take you from May 1st through the summer months!

1. Jewish-American heritage month spans the entire month of May, with Lag Ba'Omer from May 15-16th, which is a Jewish religious holiday celebrated on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, which occurs on the 18th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar; a period in the Jewish calendar between Passover and Shavuot.
2. Memorial Day is on May 26th, a commemoration honoring and remembering the men and women who died serving the US military.
3. June is Pride Month, a celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride, commemorating and celebrating the contributions of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans culture and the queer community.
4. Shavout is at the beginning of June (1st-3rd), which is a Jewish holiday to commemorate the giving of the Torah to Moses at Mount Sinai.
5. Eid al Adha is June 6-7th, the Festival of Sacrifice commemorating the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismail in obedience to God's command.
6. Juneteenth is on June 19th, celebrating the emancipation of enslaved Africans in the United States.
7. Al-Hijrah is June 26-27th marking the Islamic lunar new year, named after the Hijra, the migration of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622CE.
8. Independence Day is July 4th, where the United States celebrates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence, establishing the United States' independence from Great Britain.
9. Lastly, Tisha B'Av is from August 2-3; a somber commemoration of several tradegies in Jewish history, including the destruction of two holy Temples in Jerusalem.

Host: Dr. Rick Daniels, Director of Institutional Equity and Inclusion
Coordinator: Brenda Cruz, Coordinator of Institutional Equity an Inclusion
Producer: Erick Rohn, Professor of Design