Here’s one to think about…

According to the AP, “The Herzl/Rocky Mountain Hebrew Academy team could be headed for a regional championship on Saturday, March 8, if it wins one more game. But the Denver team’s religious beliefs prohibit students from playing on the Jewish Sabbath between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday.” The state’s high school athletic association refused to change the date of the regional game. So if they make it into the regionals and refrain from playing on the Sabbath, they will have to forfeit the game.

That is, unless the state senate can change the association’s minds. Lawmakers argued that the athletic association does not allow games to be played on Sundays, the Christian Sabbath, so it should not allow games to be played on the Jewish Sabbath. The association’s excuse? Sunday is just a traditional day of rest in the United States; its rules against playing on Sundays have nothing to do with the Christian Sabbath.

What do you think? Should the association change its rules to accommodate various religious holidays from multiple religions? Is Sunday a traditional day of rest for Americans or is it recognized because of the Christian Sabbath?

**Kudos to my roommate for finding this story.

Filed under: Judaism, Religion and Law