Brazil – The mayor of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Gilberto Kassab, has formally recognized Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Ramadan as legal holidays.
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JTA reports (http://bit.ly/QVCUZA) that Jewish and Muslim government employees are now entitled to take two days off during the Jewish holy days and Ramadan. This is the first time that Sao Paulo has acknowledged a non-Christian holiday and listed these dates as part of the city’s official calendar.
The push for the inclusion of Yom Kippur was made by Jewish city council member, Floriano Pesaro who was pleased with Mayor Kassab’s pronouncement. “It has been very difficult to perform one’s tasks on Yom Kippur, when Jews are actually forbidden to work in any way or fashion,” Pesaro said.
Approximately 110,000 Jews reside in Brazil, with over half living in Sao Paolo.
They should be recognized everywhere- they look the same every year
What took Brazil so long, Rosh Hashanna and Yom Kippur have been recognized legal holidays in Argentina for years.