Hebrew University to Close for Christmas

Hebrew University will give its students the day off on Christmas for the first time ever.

There will be no classes on Thursday, Dec. 25, a new vacation day on the university calendar. The students also had off on Sunday for Hanukkah.

The university also has declared a vacation day for and placed on its institutional calendar the Muslim holiday of Id al-Adha, or Feast of the Sacrifice, which will next take place on Sept. 9, 2015.

“This in order to accommodate students of all religions studying at the university and to respect their holidays,” Dov Smith, the university spokesman, said in a statement.

The majority of the university’s students and staff are Jewish and Muslim.