King Birthday Holiday to Be Included on Jewish Calendars

Jewish communities in 80 nations have agreed to mark the memory of slain civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. by including the U.S. holiday in his honor on Jewish calendars, according to the World Jewish Congress.

“This marks the first time that Jews around the world have agreed to observe a U.S. federal holiday,” said Elan Steinberg, the organization’s executive director.

“They have agreed to include the date on Jewish communal calendars, along with Jewish holidays and the secular holidays of their own countries.”

Letters from several Jewish communities in Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia were presented to King’s widow, Coretta Scott King, at a ceremony in New York this week attended by prominent Jewish and black leaders.

The national holiday, which honors King’s Jan. 15th birthday, will be celebrated Monday. It falls on the third Monday of January each year.