Major Holy Days 2012-2013
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 Dean Scotty McLennan, Senior Associate Dean Patricia Karlin-Neumann or Associate Dean Joanne Sanders.
July 2012
19 Ramadan Begins Islam
August 2012
19 Eid ul Fitr (End of Ramadan) Islam
September 2012
16 Erev Rosh Hashanah Jewish
17 Rosh Hashanah Jewish
18 Rosh Hashanah Jewish
25 Kol Nidre (Eve of Day of Atonement) Jewish
26 Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) Jewish
October 2012
1 Sukkot (begins) Jewish
8 Shemini Atzeret Jewish
9 Simchat Torah Jewish
20 Birth of Báb Bahá’í
26 Eid al-Adha Islam
November 2012
1 Samhain Pagan
1 All Saints Day Christian
12 Birth of Baha’u’llah Bahá’í
13 Diwali Hindu
13 Diwali Jain
13 Diwali Sikh
December 2012
2 Advent (begins) Christian
8 Bodhi Day Buddhist
9 Chanukah (begins) Jewish
12 Our Lady of Guadalupe (Feast Day) Christian
16 Chanukah (ends) Jewish
25 Christmas Christian
26 Kwanzaa (begins) Pan-African
January 2013
1 Kwanzaa (ends) Pan-African
6 Epiphany Christian
25 Tu B’Shevat (begins) Jewish
26 Tu B’Shevat (ends) Jewish
February 2013
10 Chinese New Year Buddhist, Confucian, Daoist
13 Ash Wednesday (Lent begins) Christian
24 Purim Jewish
March 2013
24 Palm Sunday Christian
25 Erev Pesach Jewish
26 Passover (begins) Jewish
27 Holi Hindu
28 Maundy Thursday Christian
29 Good Friday Christian
31 Easter Christian
April 2013
2 Passover (ends) Jewish
May 2013
14 Erev Shavuot Jewish
15 Shavuot (begins) Jewish
16 Shavuot (ends) Jewish
June 2013