Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Ron
Prosor, has launched a campaign calling for the U.N. to recognize Yom Kippur as
an official holiday. The Israeli Mission to the United Nations is seeking support from all Member States to add Yom Kippur to the UN Calendar in
keeping with the United Nation’s core principles of religious tolerance, peace
and cooperation
The
U.N. officially recognizes 10 holidays at its New York Headquarters, including
Christmas and Eid al-Fitr. However, no Jewish holidays have been recognized or
represented.
As
part of this unprecedented campaign, Ambassador Prosor asked all UN ambassadors
to join the Israeli effort by signing a letter , urging the UN to correct this
inequity and recognize the holiest day of the Jewish faith.
In
his letter, Ambassador Prosor said: “Yom Kippur is the most sacred day in the
Jewish calendar. In the days leading up to Yom Kippur, Jews throughout the
world seek forgiveness and reconciliation. Jews fast, abstain from work, and
spend the day in prayer and contemplation. It is about time Jewish employees at
the U.N. won't be obligated to work on Yom Kippur. On the one hand, the United
Nations advances values of cooperation and engagement among nations, and on the
other hand, it is prioritizing one religion over the other. There are three
monotheistic religions, yet only two are recognized by the U.N. calendar. Such
discrimination at the UN must end.”