Major Holy Days 2015-2016
Stanford has long supported faculty, students and staff in observing religious holiday of significance to them. In the complex process of creating the academic calendar, religious holy days are but one of many considerations. The university administration has always been helpful in facilitating communication and encouraging respect and understanding when there are academic calendar conflicts with religious holy days. Most instructors will be cooperative and flexible regarding students’ religious observance when they receive appropriate and early communication. If a student is planning NOT to attend class or take an exam because of a religious holiday, he or she should convey this information to instructors in advance so that the student will not be disadvantaged as a result of religious practice. The Office for Religious Life makes available to faculty, staff and students this list of significant religious holidays at the beginning of each academic year. For any questions or concerns, please contact the Office for Religious Life.
July 2015
26 Tish’a B’av Jewish
September 2015
13-15 Rosh Hashanah Jewish
23 Yom Kippur Jewish
24 Eid al-Adha Islam
27- Oct 4 Sukkot Jewish
October 2015
5 Shemini Atzeret Jewish
6 Simchat Torah Jewish
20 Birth of Bab Baha’i
November 2015
1 Samhain Pagan
1 All Saints Day Christian
11-15 Diwali Hindu, Jain, Sikh
12 Birth of Baha’u’llah Bahá’í
29 Advent (begins) Christian
December 2015
8 Bodhi Day Buddhist
12 Our Lady of Guadalupe (Feast Day) Christian
16-24 Hanukkah Jewish
24 Christmas Eve Christian
25 Christmas Christian
26 Kwanzaa (begins) Pan-African
January 2016
1 Kwanzaa (ends) Pan-African
6 Epiphany Christian
24 Tu BiSvat Jewish
February 2016
8 Chinese New Year Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist
10 Ash Wednesday Christian
March 2016
20 Palm Sunday Christian
23 Holi Hindu
24 Purim Jewish
24 Maundy Thursday Christian
25 Good Friday Christian
27 Easter Christian
April 2016
22-30 Passover Jewish
May 2016
5 Ascension Day Christian
11-12 Yom Ha’atzmaut Jewish
June 2016
6 Ramadan begins Islam
11-13 Shavuot Jewish
July 2016
5 Ramadan enDJS/Eid al-Fitr Islam
26 Tish’a B’av Jewish
