New York City public schools are closed to observe the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.
Thursday was the first time the schools serving 1.1 million pupils closed for a Muslim holiday. Mayor de Blasio announced this year that the city's public schools would observe the two Muslim holy days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Eid al-Adha is known as the Feast of the Sacrifice. It commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim — Abraham to Christians and Jews — to sacrifice his son.
New York City schools were closed Wednesday for the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur.
Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina attended a celebration of Eid-al-Adha on Thursday at the Children's Museum of Manhattan.
An exhibit on Muslim cultures will open at the museum in February.
A similar proposal to close schools in Jersey City ignited heated debated at a board meeting last week, and the plan was ultimately tabled.
