In first, New York City schools close for Muslim holiday

Over a million kids get the day off for Eid al-Adha

New York mayor Bill de Blasio (Courtesy BilldeBlasio.com)
New York mayor Bill de Blasio (Courtesy BilldeBlasio.com)

NEW YORK — New York City public schools are closed to observe the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.

Thursday was the first time the schools serving 1.1 million pupils closed for a Muslim holiday. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced this year that the city’s public schools would observe the two Muslim holy days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

Eid al-Adha is known as the Feast of the Sacrifice. It commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim — Abraham to Christians and Jews — to sacrifice his son.

New York City schools were closed Wednesday for the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur.

Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina attended a celebration of Eid-al-Adha on Thursday at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan.

An exhibit on Muslim cultures will open at the museum in February.

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