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New York’s Half Hollow Hills School District unanimously approves Hindu Diwali holiday
 
Hindus have welcomed reports of Board of Education of Half Hollow Hills Central School District (HHHCSD) of Huntington and Babylon in New York State unanimously adopting Diwali, most popular of their festival, as an official holiday on the 2017-2018 school year calendar.
 
Nearby Syosset Central School District and East Meadow School District recently declared Diwali as an official holiday, while Mineola Union Free School District announced that no home work or examinations would be given on Diwali, reports suggest.
 
Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, describing it as a step in the right direction, urged all other public school districts and private-charter-independent schools in New York State to do the same.
 
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out that it would be a positive thing to do in view of presence of a substantial number of Hindu students at schools around the state, as it was important to meet the religious and spiritual needs of these pupils.
 
Rajan Zed indicated that schools should make efforts to accommodate the religious requirements of Hindu students and show respect to their faith by not conducting regular business and scheduling classes on Diwali. We did not want our students to be put at an unnecessary disadvantage for missing tests/examinations/papers, assignments, class work, etc., by taking a day-off to observe Diwali.
 
If schools had declared other religious holidays, why not Diwali, Zed asked. Holidays of all major religions should be honored and no one should be penalized for practicing their religion, Zed added
 
Rajan Zed suggested all New York State schools, public-private-charter-independent, to seriously look into declaring Diwali as an official holiday, thus recognizing the intersection of spirituality and education. Zed noted that awareness about other religions thus created by such holidays like Diwali would make New York State students well-nurtured, well-balanced, and enlightened citizens of tomorrow.
 
Zed urged New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New York State Education Department Board of Regents Chancellor Betty A. Rosa and New York State Commissioner of Education MaryEllen Elia; to work towards adding Diwali as an official holiday in all the 728 school districts, and persuading the private-charter-independent schools to follow.
 
Rajan Zed further says that Hinduism is rich in festivals and religious festivals are very dear and sacred to Hindus. Diwali, the festival of lights, aims at dispelling the darkness and lighting up the lives and symbolizes the victory of good over evil. Besides Hindus; Sikhs and Jains and some Buddhists also celebrate Diwali, which falls on October 19 in 2017.
 
Zed thanked HHHCSD Board of Education President Eric Geringswald and other Board members for supporting Diwali holiday. HHHCSD, headquartered in Dix Hills hamlet of New York, serves about 8,550 students in nine schools of Huntington and Babylon communities of Long Island. It has a Mandarin Chinese program. Notable alumni include actor Ralph Macchio, football player Stephen Bowen and professional wrestler Mark LoMonaco. Kelly Fallon is Superintendent of Schools.

Hindus urge all 21 New Jersey counties to offer free yoga like Union County
 
Hindus are urging all the 21 counties in New Jersey to offer free yoga classes, on the same pattern as being offered by the Union County.
 
Union County is presenting a free yoga event titled “Empowering Union County Women…” on March third evening to celebrate “Women’s History Month”. Open to all, this yoga-meditation event is about three-hours long at 19th century Masker’s Barn on Hollow Road in Deserted Village. “It is an excellent opportunity to recharge after a long and difficult winter”, says Bruce H. Bergen, Chairman of the Board of Chosen Freeholders of Union County.
 
Calling it a step in the positive direction, distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, commended Union County for coming forward with this initiative and providing an opportunity to its residents to avail the multiple benefits yoga offered.
 
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to work with various county boards and city councils in the state for offering free yoga classes to the residents, thus incorporating highly beneficial yoga in the lives of New Jerseyans.
 
Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Rajan Zed pointed out.
 
Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.
 
According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to a “2016 Yoga in America Study”, about 37 million Americans (which included many celebrities) now practice yoga; and yoga is strongly correlated with having a positive self image.  Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Rajan Zed added.
 
Union County, founded in 1857 and whose tagline is “We’re Connected to You!”, has reportedly one of the highest property taxes among US counties. Headquartered in Elizabeth, it has created a unique “Office on Women” to “enable them to reach their full potential”. Corporate headquarters of global healthcare company Merck is located in the County. Alfred Faella is County Manager and Nicole DeAugustine will be the yoga instructor.

Hindus urge all US performing arts centers to offer free yoga classes like Kennedy Center
 
Hindus have welcomed Kennedy Center in Washington DC, claimed to the nation’s busiest performing arts center, offering free all-levels vinyasa yoga classes in its Grand Foyer, starting March four.
 
Calling it a step in the positive direction, distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, commended Kennedy Center for coming forward with this initiative and providing an opportunity to its patrons and public to avail the multiple benefits yoga offered. He urged all the nation’s top performing arts centers to offer free yoga classes, on the same pattern as being offered by the Kennedy Center.
 
Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, pointed out.
 
Rajan Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.
 
According to US National Institutes of Health (NIH), yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to a “2016 Yoga in America Study”, about 37 million Americans (which included many celebrities) now practice yoga; and yoga is strongly correlated with having a positive self image.  Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Zed added.
 
These free public yoga sessions are a part of “Sound Health” program, Center’s new partnership with the NIH, connecting the performing arts to mind-body wellness. Under “What to bring” items for these yoga classes, the Center lists “A desire to clear your mind, move your body”.
 
Opened in 1971, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosts about 3,000 events each year for audiences numbering over 3 million, and with productions-broadcasts reaching about 40 million around the world. David M. Rubenstein and Deborah F. Rutter are Chairman and President respectively.