For many Jewish schools in the tri-state area, Chol Hamoed Sukkot is a week-long break where students can unwind, families can go on vacation, and everyone can properly celebrate the holiday of Sukkot. But at Ramaz, that is not the case. The Ramaz School has chosen every year to remain open during these days, requiring students to come in for regularly scheduled classes. So why is it that Ramaz has made this decision every year, and has it been benefiting the school and students, or causing controversy among students and families?

Rabbi Kenny Schiowitz explained the educational, practical, and religious considerations that go into the school’s Chol Hamoed schedule. 

First, it is important to note that the Ramaz Upper School administration does not make this decision solely for themselves. Rabbi Schiowitz explained that the calendar is set school-wide, so every decision has to be made for the greater good of the entire school. That is one of the main reasons the Ramaz administration chooses to remain open every year. It not only has to make sense for highschoolers, but also for all of the younger children in the school. The younger students of the school are unable to take care of themselves for an entire week, and because most parents still have work during the week, it is helpful for them to have their kids remain at school. 

Another reason for having school open during the week is the fact that not everyone has access to a Sukkah. The school provides a beautiful Sukkah for the students to eat their meals in, which is important because if school was not open, many students might not be able to fulfill the mitzvah of לישב בסוכה. By keeping school open, Ramaz is able to ensure that every student hears the tefilot for Chol Hamoed each day, and that they learn about the holiday. 

In terms of Halachic issues, the most relevant one is that the days of Chol Hamoed are supposed to be elevated and more spiritual than our regular days. This could cause an issue because by attending school these days, students are sticking to their regular routines and not doing anything special to elevate their spirits. This issue is one that the school recognizes. As Rabbi Schiowitz said: “There is a bigger issue of the spirit of the holiday that can be lost with too much class/work.” So how does Ramaz maintain the spirit of Chol Hamoed Sukkot, while still having a normal school day?  

Ramaz provides activities to make the day different from a typical school day. There is longer davening, hallel, breakfast outside in the sukkah, and early dismissal. There are also trips during the day and no tests or homework for the week. The goal of this is to preserve the spirit of Chol Hamoed while also ensuring an educational week for the students. 

However, this topic has become increasingly relevant in the past few years because, according to Rabbi Schiowitz, more families are going away for the holidays, particularly to Israel, so more students have been missing school. With this, it has become increasingly difficult to keep school open during these few days. 

There is no permanent answer to this issue, but the administration continues to revisit the topic yearly to discuss what would be best for the Ramaz community. As Rabbi Schiowitz put it, he is “hoping for a full vacation week in 2027!” 

Until then, Ramaz students will continue to show up to school during Chol Hamoed Sukkot to celebrate together, and experience a unique combination of education and the spirit of the holidays.