Growing up a Reformed Jew, I learned that there's really only two days a year that you're required to go to temple. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Every other holiday can be sufficiently honored with a bowl of matzo ball soup and some horseradish. As I scan the Syracuse football roster in a very racial-profiling-kind-of-way, no one jumps out at me as being a fellow member of the Tribe (Max Suter, perhaps?) but still, I have to imagine Syracuse will take the holiday into consideration when setting the time of the Northwestern game.
September 19th is the date of the game and that's smack-dab in the middle of the Jewish New Year celebration. Theoretically, any Jews on either team will be solemnly praying that day, not smashing skulls (I'm looking at you, Northwestern's James Nussbaum).
Donnie checked in with SU regarding the issue and they're on it...kinda:
"Although game times have not been addressed by the league and will not be until the conference schedule is complete, the University's standard practice is to consider all holidays in establishing start times for scheduled events.
"In instances like this, we work to minimize the conflicts it may create to the extent that we are able and with the understanding that it is impossible to address every consideration."
It is kindof a no-win for SU. The holiday begins at sundown the day before so it's not like a morning start-time works better than a night game. Some on the Scout board propose moving the game to Thursday, which would work. But then again, doesn't that mean EVERY college football game scheduled for that day is trying to move to Thursday then? Something tells me the game will be played like any normal Saturday game, there will be a slight, barely-audible groan from a few and we'll all just proceed as planned.
I say, why can't we hold Rosh Hashanah services in the Dome before the game? With enough pre-planning we could stock the merchandise stores with Cuse yarmulkes and talits. We'll have more than enough people to form a minyan. And I'm sure the people behind the Dome Dog (kosher?) can whip up some Mama Marrone Mazto Ball Soup and Carrier Dome Challah Bread. Win-win, people. L'chaim!