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InterfaithReligious andSpiritual Lifeat WoodwardWoodward Academy is a “faith friendly” school that believes in educating the whole child: mind, body, and spirit. We are a vibrant secular community made up of members of diverse faith traditions and those who are non-religious. We seek to support all of our students and families as they navigate life.

The Chaplain’s Office at Woodward provides pastoral care, supports interfaith life, and teaches religion in a way that elevates both personal and communal understanding of faith and spirituality. Woodward has employed a chaplain since its founding in 1900 as Georgia Military Academy. Today, chaplaincy in our community involves spiritual and emotional care for people of all traditions and those of no professed faith. Working with our Upper School student-led Interfaith Council, our chaplain helps to enrich spiritual and religious life Academy-wide. At Woodward, we learn about each other’s faiths, seeking to understand what is most important to ourselves, our friends and classmates, and our colleagues. We recognize many religious holidays through education, sharing and respecting customs, and periodic school closures to allow families who are observing holidays to celebrate fully. In Middle and Upper Schools, affinity groups provide spaces and communities for students who share religious and cultural identities as well as allies and friends.When students have a religious observance, such as fasting or mid-day prayer, we work to make accommodations as needed. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Chaplain’s Office or contact teachers, administrators, or counselors if you have questions, concerns, or a need for religious accommodations. We look forward to continuing to build this special community with your family.Chaplain Megan Lloyd Joinerchaplain@woodward.edu— 404-765-1540Some of Many Religious Traditions Represented on CampusJudaismChristianityIslamBuddhismSikhismHinduismBahá’í FaithHumanism

Kwanzaa Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture from December 26 to January 1 and is based on African harvest festival traditions. Kwanzaa celebrates seven principles including: Umoja (unity), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity), and Imani (faith). Celebrants light a seven-candle candelabra known as the kinara each night. Ash Wednesday and LentLent is the season between Ash Wednesday and Easter. Many Christians spend 40 days fasting in preparation for celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Ash Wednesday is commemorated with services and the imposition of ashes. Woodward provides ashes as well as a mid-day service in Gresham Chapel that is open to all Woodward students, families, and employees.SPRING HOLIDAYSGood Friday and Easter The most sacred week in the Christian calendar is the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday known as Holy Week. Services and fasting commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday. The week culminates in the celebration of his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Orthodox Easter, or Pascha, often occurs later in the spring.RamadanRamadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, celebrates God’s giving of the Holy Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad. During Ramadan, Muslims observe a strict fast from dawn until sunset. Fasting enables nearness to God, spiritual discipline, and empathy with those less fortunate. The fast is broken at the end of the day with prayer and a festive meal called an iftar.FALL HOLIDAYSRosh HashanahOne of the Jewish High Holidays, Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year and is often celebrated with special foods, including apples and honey, for a sweet New Year! Yom KippurThe holiest day in the Jewish Calendar, Yom Kippur is known as the Day of Atonement and is observed with fasting, services, and special prayers with a focus on repentance and forgiveness.DiwaliDiwali, the festival of light, has been celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Muslims across South Asia and beyond for more than 2,500 years. The festival of Diwali symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, new beginnings, and the supremacy of knowledge over ignorance.WINTER HOLIDAYS Christmas The Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated in the Western world on December 25. Christmas follows the season of Advent, in which Christians reflect on love, hope, joy, and peace. Christians belonging to Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate Christmas on or near January 7.Hanukkah or Chanukah The Jewish Festival of Lights is an eight-day holiday commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in the second century B.C.E. Celebrations include the lighting of the eight-candle menorah, playing dreidel, gathering with family and friends, and sometimes exchanging gifts.Major Religious Holidays

PassoverPassover, or Pesach, is the Jewish holiday commemo-rating the liberation of the Hebrew people from Egypt. The seven-day holiday is celebrated with a ritual meal known as the seder, during which foods have meaning corresponding to the story of the Exodus. Unleavened bread, or matzah, is eaten throughout the week as a commemoration of the haste with which the Israelites had to leave Egypt. Woodward provides matzah throughout the week of Passover.HoliHoli is a festival celebrated throughout India, especially by people who practice Hinduism. Holi, or the Festival of Colors, marks the beginning of spring and celebrates the triumph of good over evil. During celebrations, colored powders are joyfully thrown. Holi is a day that symbolizes the beauty of unity in diversity. Each year, Woodward hosts a special Holi celebration.VaisakhiVaisakhi is a Sikh spring festival which happens on April 13 or 14 every year. It is a day to celebrate the year 1699, when Sikhism was born as a collective faith. It is a time for spiritual awakening, practitioners reaffirming their commitment to their faith, and honoring ancestors.VesakVesak is an important Buddhist festival held each spring that commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Siddhartha Gautama or the Buddha. Buddhists celebrate Vesak by decorating their temples with flowers and other decorations and participating in charity work and acts of kindness.Eid al-FitrEid al-Fitr is one of the major holidays celebrated by Muslims and commemorates the end of the month of Ramadan. Charity called Zakat al-Fitr is collected before community-wide prayer services and distributed to the needy to ensure all can participate in the festivities.Eid al-AdhaEid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, is a major holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide. Most Muslims attend special prayers. Children take a day off from school, and many adults do not go to work. Eid al-Adha marks the climax of Hajj or Pilgrimage, the fifth pillar of Islam.* If your family celebrates a holiday that you do not see listed here, please be in touch with Chaplain Megan at chaplain@woodward.edu to let us know!Students in the Maymester 2024 course “Cornerstones: The Civil Rights Movement Through the Lens of Faith” visits The Temple on Peachtree Road.1662 Rugby Avenue, College Park, GA 30337woodward.eduSources: Encyclopedia Britannica, Brandeis University Center for Spiritual Life