How is to not be Jewish at GDS?

[Anonymous]

I'm a Christian, but I can't see why any school with more than a few Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, etc. kids can't give a couple of days off to respect their holy days. What's the big deal? The schools could make up the missed class time by cutting down on those annoying half days.

Showing people that their feelings matter is important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not again! ANd how exactly did winter break get to be winter break?

It is the international standard. Better for businesses and schools to operate when the holiday season is around the same time. In times past, corporations had issues dealing with the Soviet Union when their workers would all take time off around that time.

I am surprised why some people are not questioning howcome the 4th of July is during the summer break?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not again! ANd how exactly did winter break get to be winter break?

Sorry. That was meant to be rhetorical.
It is the international standard. Better for businesses and schools to operate when the holiday season is around the same time. In times past, corporations had issues dealing with the Soviet Union when their workers would all take time off around that time.

I am surprised why some people are not questioning howcome the 4th of July is during the summer break?

Exactly. It is the international standard with the western Christian world determining the protocols. That's the way it is, I'm not going to argue that. The holiday season is based on the celebration of CHRISTMAS. As a member of a minorty religion, I fully expect my calendar to be determined by the prevailing religion's schedule. Been that way all my life etc. and honestly, have no problem with it. But to pretend this has nothing to do with a Christian celebration (in the post druid era--having conveniently moved Jesus' birth to converge with ancient solstice celebrations) is silly.

Just like "bank holidays" in the UK are based on Christian holidays that are not so actively celebrated-it's just holiday now for most people. Given the fact that these Christian holidays govern our calendar, how can folks be so venomous about a little tolerance for people of other religions celebrating their holidays?

If my child's teacher reduced homework 4 times /year in deference to religions I don't celebrate, but respected important times for another kid-fine. It is not going to change my child's SAT scores. It's a statement of inclusion & a lesson in being aware of more than your own immediate self-interest. It's not like she can't read, do math facts, practice music or foreign language, clean her room, work on a longer- term project or homework due over several days, etc.
In response to others declaring whether or not people they have observed at a distance are really celebrating their holidays:
I don't sit around evaluating my friends' gathering with family at Christmas and judge whether they went to church enough times to have earned their day of warmth (MILs aside) and good cheer. I don't expect others to be evaluating how "observant" I am and how I am entitled to participate in my religion.

[Anonymous]

PP
You have a chip on your shoulder.

[Anonymous]

Stepping away from the holiday argument... I contacted GDS regarding admission for my daughter in October 2010... I got in touch with the Admissions Director, and was strongly discouraged from applying for admission because we are non-Jewish... In fact, I was informed after a lengthy conversation in which I explained that even though ours is a Christian family with a bit of a mixed ancestry (non-Jewish), we are liberal, and were interested in visiting the school, that we should consider speaking with the Rabbi and conversion to Judaism as part of the admissions process... When I specifically asked whether there were any non-Jewish students at GDS, I was told that most kids had atleast one Jewish parent, even though they may not be actively practising Judaism... And, now looking at this thread and seeing that there are non-Jewish kids at GDS, I am wondering why we were discouraged from applying for admission... Confused, and feeling short-changed...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stepping away from the holiday argument... I contacted GDS regarding admission for my daughter in October 2010... I got in touch with the Admissions Director, and was strongly discouraged from applying for admission because we are non-Jewish... In fact, I was informed after a lengthy conversation in which I explained that even though ours is a Christian family with a bit of a mixed ancestry (non-Jewish), we are liberal, and were interested in visiting the school, that we should consider speaking with the Rabbi and conversion to Judaism as part of the admissions process... When I specifically asked whether there were any non-Jewish students at GDS, I was told that most kids had atleast one Jewish parent, even though they may not be actively practising Judaism... And, now looking at this thread and seeing that there are non-Jewish kids at GDS, I am wondering why we were discouraged from applying for admission... Confused, and feeling short-changed...

Your humor does not translate well online.

[Anonymous]

We looked at GDS for my son a few years ago. One of the parents at the admissions tour and I were talking. My older child was already at a nearby Episcopalian school, and I was saying that GDS seemed like a better fit for my son. We were talking about the school where my daughter was. I mentioned that we did not practice any religion but that we rather liked Christmas at my dd's school because it was Christmas and not winter holiday. We continued talking about other schools. I asked her about the other schools she was considering, and she said - and this is emblazoned in my memory as though it were yesterday - "Oh, we are those dirty Jews you are trying to keep your children away from." I think my jaw actually dropped in shock. She apologized.

It did make me wonder about the school. Because if they seriously considered admitting someone like that, their allegedly inclusive values are anything but.

[Anonymous]

Seems wrong to treat another applicant as somehow representative of the school. You weren't talking to a GDS parent.

And if she's a GDS parent now, it's despite rather than because of the attitudes she expressed to you (and presumably not to the AD!).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seems wrong to treat another applicant as somehow representative of the school. You weren't talking to a GDS parent.

And if she's a GDS parent now, it's despite rather than because of the attitudes she expressed to you (and presumably not to the AD!).

Indeed, she might not be representative of the school. However, why would someone so ugly and bigoted even consider GDS?

[Anonymous]

She read the posts on DCUM telling her it was a school for Jews?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seems wrong to treat another applicant as somehow representative of the school. You weren't talking to a GDS parent.

And if she's a GDS parent now, it's despite rather than because of the attitudes she expressed to you (and presumably not to the AD!).

Indeed, she might not be representative of the school. However, why would someone so ugly and bigoted even consider GDS?

First of all, I am neither ugly nor bigoted... And, I apologize if I offended someone with the language I used... But it was a direct quote from what I was told by the Admissions Director... I am not a parent at GDS right now, and we have never visited GDS after that conversation with the Director - 'coz I let myself be persuaded that we would not fit in because of our non-Jewish background... Further, I did not think it was appropriate that we be pressured into making such a life-changing decision based solely on our desire to apply for admission to a school... Anyway, bottom line - I am feeling sad that we missed out on exposing our daughter to what would have been an amazing curriculum...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stepping away from the holiday argument... I contacted GDS regarding admission for my daughter in October 2010... I got in touch with the Admissions Director, and was strongly discouraged from applying for admission because we are non-Jewish... In fact, I was informed after a lengthy conversation in which I explained that even though ours is a Christian family with a bit of a mixed ancestry (non-Jewish), we are liberal, and were interested in visiting the school, that we should consider speaking with the Rabbi and conversion to Judaism as part of the admissions process... When I specifically asked whether there were any non-Jewish students at GDS, I was told that most kids had atleast one Jewish parent, even though they may not be actively practising Judaism... And, now looking at this thread and seeing that there are non-Jewish kids at GDS, I am wondering why we were discouraged from applying for admission... Confused, and feeling short-changed...

I hope nobody takes this seriously. Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seems wrong to treat another applicant as somehow representative of the school. You weren't talking to a GDS parent.

And if she's a GDS parent now, it's despite rather than because of the attitudes she expressed to you (and presumably not to the AD!).

Indeed, she might not be representative of the school. However, why would someone so ugly and bigoted even consider GDS?

First of all, I am neither ugly nor bigoted... And, I apologize if I offended someone with the language I used... But it was a direct quote from what I was told by the Admissions Director... I am not a parent at GDS right now, and we have never visited GDS after that conversation with the Director - 'coz I let myself be persuaded that we would not fit in because of our non-Jewish background... Further, I did not think it was appropriate that we be pressured into making such a life-changing decision based solely on our desire to apply for admission to a school... Anyway, bottom line - I am feeling sad that we missed out on exposing our daughter to what would have been an amazing curriculum...

I believe that you are mistakenly responding to a post meant for me (12:33 and 12:59).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seems wrong to treat another applicant as somehow representative of the school. You weren't talking to a GDS parent.

And if she's a GDS parent now, it's despite rather than because of the attitudes she expressed to you (and presumably not to the AD!).

Indeed, she might not be representative of the school. However, why would someone so ugly and bigoted even consider GDS?

First of all, I am neither ugly nor bigoted... And, I apologize if I offended someone with the language I used... But it was a direct quote from what I was told by the Admissions Director... I am not a parent at GDS right now, and we have never visited GDS after that conversation with the Director - 'coz I let myself be persuaded that we would not fit in because of our non-Jewish background... Further, I did not think it was appropriate that we be pressured into making such a life-changing decision based solely on our desire to apply for admission to a school... Anyway, bottom line - I am feeling sad that we missed out on exposing our daughter to what would have been an amazing curriculum...

This is almost too bizarre to even be bad humor. Are you sure you didn't call Gesher Day School, which is actually a Jewish school?

[Anonymous]

I WAS talking about Gesher... (11:25 and 1:50)