Brotherhood/Sisterhood Week

Brotherhood/Sisterhood Week

Third week in February

Every year since 1934, Brotherhood Week has been proclaimed by the president of the United States, sponsored by the National Conference for Community and Justice (formerly, the National Conference of Christians and Jews), and observed by the country as a whole. The original idea was to set aside a week each year when people of all faiths would get together, discuss their differences, and reaffirm the human brotherhood that underlies the variations in their religious beliefs.
Now known as Brotherhood/Sisterhood Week, schools, churches, synagogues, civic groups, and other organizations across America celebrate by bringing together people of different faiths and backgrounds.
The decision to celebrate Brotherhood/Sisterhood Week near Washington's Birthday called attention to George Washington as a symbol of America's commitment to freedom from racial and religious prejudice. When Washington was president he wrote a letter to the Hebrew congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, in which he assured them that in this country there would be "to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance." This quotation has become practically a slogan for the National Conference for Community and Justice which, in addition to organizing this observance, is engaged in a continuing effort to promote interfaith relations.

CONTACTS:
National Conference for Community and Justice
475 Park Ave. S., 19th Fl.
New York, NY 10016
212-545-1300; fax: 212-545-8053
www.nccj.org

SOURCES:
AnnivHol-2000, p. 34
DaysCustFaith-1957, p. 60
DictDays-1988, p. 15

Celebration days:
2011: Feb 20 - Feb 26
2012: Feb 19 - Feb 25
2013: Feb 17 - Feb 23
2014: Feb 16 - Feb 22
2015: Feb 15 - Feb 21