A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Monday, September 6, 2010

A Week of Holidays

This weekend has been Labor Day in the US, the traditional end of summer long weekend. As we return to work and my daughter returns to school after summer break, our region is about to celebrate holidays this week as well: for Muslims, ‘Id al-Fitr for the year 1431, marking the end of Ramadan, should start at sundown September 8 in the Mideast and at sundown September 9 in North America (due to differences in when the new moon becomes visible). Also linked to the new moon, Rosh Hashonah 5771, the Jewish New Year will begin the High Holydays at sundown September 8 as well. And if Christians feel left out, Saturday, September 11, will be Nayrouz, the Coptic New Year for Year of the Martyrs 1727. (And, a commenter adds, also Ethiopian new year, the church of Ethiopia being a daughter church of Alexandria, only separate since the mid-20th century.. For them, it's apparently 2003.)

Whether you're celebrating in 1431, 5771, 1727, 2003, or just plain 2010, I'll post suitable greetings.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

September 11 is also Ethiopian New Year :-) It will be 2003, according to the Ge'ez Calendar.

Michael Collins Dunn said...

Thanks; I've added it. Obviously the Ethiopian church was a daughtyer church of Alexandria, but I hadn't known they used the same calendar (though they count years differently, obviously.)