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Religious Holidays & Religious Creed Policy

Religious Holidays: 2022–2023 Academic Year

The following list of religious and cultural holidays may be used by instructors developing class syllabi and for planning, or by supervisors of student employees. Although many of these days are not university holidays, the information can be used by instructors or supervisors at their discretion when responding to student requests for accommodations for religious purposes. Making accommodations does not excuse a student of any course requirements, but rather supports adjustments to honor their religious observances. Reference the Accommodation of Religious Creed policy.

This is not an exhaustive list and is not intended to be inclusive of all religious observances; there may be other holidays that pose conflicts for students (request an addition or correction). Many religions contain multiple sects and multiple practices of religious celebrations. Several holidays are calculated on a lunar calendar and dates are approximate. Some holidays begin and end at sundown.

Religious Creed Policy

The Berkeley campus’ Religious Creed Policy for accommodation of students who miss exams because of their religious commitment is distributed annually at the beginning of each fall semester. The most recent statement is dated August 18, 2010. The policy follows:

Accommodation of Religious Creed

In compliance with Education code, Section 92640(a), it is the official policy of the University of California at Berkeley to permit any student to undergo a test or examination, without penalty, at a time when that activity would not violate the student’s religious creed, unless administering the examination at an alternate time would impose an undue hardship which could not reasonably have been avoided. Requests to accommodate a student’s religious creed by scheduling tests or examinations at alternative times should be submitted directly to the faculty member responsible for administering the examination.

Reasonable common sense, judgment and the pursuit of mutual goodwill should result in the positive resolution of scheduling conflicts. The regular campus appeals process applies if a mutually satisfactory arrangement cannot be achieved.

Religious and Cultural Holidays

Date Holiday/Commemoration Faith
8/5* Tisha B’ Av (major day of communal mourning) Jewish
8/6 Transfiguration Orthodox Christian
8/15 Assumption of Mary/Dormition of the Theotokos Christian and Orthodox Christian
8/29 Janmashtami Hindu
9/21 Nativity of the Theotokos Orthodox Christian
9/25-9/27* Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) Jewish
10/5* Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) Jewish
10/7* Mawlid al-Nabi (Sunni) Islam
10/9-10/16* Sukkot Jewish
10/16-10/18* Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah Jewish
10/24 Bandi Chorh Diwas Sikh
10/24 Diwali (Festival of Lights)  Hindu
11/21 Presentation of the Theotokos Orthodox Christian
11/27 Parkash Guru Nanak Sikh
12/18-12/26* Chanukah/Hanukkah (rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem) Jewish
12/25 Christmas Christian
12/26-1/1 Kwanzaa (honoring African heritage in African-American culture) Interfaith/cultural
1/1 The Solemnity of Mary Christian
1/6 Epiphany/Theophany Christian
1/22 Lunar New Year Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist, interfaith/cultural
1/26 Vasant Panchami Hindu
1/30 Mahayana New Year Buddhist
2/5* Tu BiShvat Jewish
2/5 Maghi Sikh
2/15 Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple Orthodox Christian
2/15* Nirvana Day (observance of the death of the Buddha) Hindu, Buddhist
2/17* Laylat al-Mi’raj (Muhammad’s ascension to heaven) Islam
2/18  Maha Shivaratri (Lord Shiva and his marriage to Goddess Parvati) Hindu
2/22 Ash Wednesday (Lent begins) Christian
2/28-5/25 Great Lent Orthodox Christian
3/5 Sunday of Orthodoxy Orthodox Christian
3/6 Magha Puja (Sangha) Day (presentation of teaching by Lord Buddha to an assembly of holy men) Buddhist
3/7* Laylat al-Bara’ah Islam
3/7* Holi (Festival of Colors) Hindu
3/7*  Purim (celebration of the deliverance from genocide) Jewish
3/8-3/10 Hola Mohalla Sikh
3/22-4/21* Ramadan (Prophet Muhammad’s reception of the Qur`an) Islam
3/25 Annunciation Christian and Orthodox Christian
4/2 Palm Sunday (Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem) Christian and Orthodox Christian
4/2-10 Ramayana Hindu
4/05-13* Pesach (exodus from slavery to freedom) Jewish
4/6 Hanuman Jayanti Hindu
4/6 Maundy Thursday Christian
4/7 Good Friday/Great and Holy Friday (crucifixion of Jesus) Christian 
4/8 Visakha Puja Day/Buddha Day Buddhist
4/9 Easter (resurrection of Jesus) Christian
4/9* Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) Jewish
4/10 Rama Navami Hindu
4/14 Vaisakhi Sikh
4/14 Good Friday/Great and Holy Friday (crucifixion of Jesus) Orthodox Christian
4/16 Divine Mercy Sunday Christian
4/16 Pascha (Easter) Orthodox Christian
4/16 Lazarus Saturday Orthodox Christian
4/21* Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan, festival of thanksgiving to God)  Islam
5/8* Lag B’Omer Jewish
5/18 Ascension Orthodox Christian
5/23 Pentecost/Whit Sunday Christian and Orthodox Christian
5/23 Ascension Christian
6/4 Trinity Sunday Christian
6/8 Corpus Christi Christian
6/28* Eid al-Adha Islam
7/23* Tisha B’ Av (major day of communal mourning) Jewish

*Begins at sundown and ends the following day at sundown.

Reference: Our gratitude to Cornell University for compiling this list.