Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Whose holiday is less important?

Alternate side parking in NYC was suspended last Monday. Naturally, I presumed this was because of Tu B'av, the dancing holiday for romantics that everyone nowadays ignores. [Aside: Those of you who say Judaism never changes, are welcome to explain how we lost Tu B'av. I know, I know. Judaism never changes. Except when it changes. End Aside]

As it happens, it wasn't our minor, forgotten holiday that benefited the street cleaners. They got the day off, not because of Tu B'av, but because of the Feast of the Assumption, i.e. Mary's yartzeit.

PS: Is anything more out of control then the city's alternate side rules? I think they were instituted to accommodate Jews who don't drive cars on certain days, but now they are in force for every religion's  minor, forgotten, unimportant holiday -- including those that have no impact at all on travel and parking habits.

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