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<td><span style="font-weight:bold; padding-left:3px">Schoon, Danielle</span> <span>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" color="#000000" style="font-size:11pt"><b>From:</b> Middleeaststudiesforum <middleeaststudiesforum-bounces@lists.osu.edu> on behalf of McClimans, Melinda via Middleeaststudiesforum <middleeaststudiesforum@lists.osu.edu><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, 06 April 2026 13:17:25<br>
<b>To:</b> MES Forum Middle East Studies Center <middleeaststudiesforum@lists.osu.edu><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [MES Forum] Four Holidays, One Season, A Reflection</font>
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<span style="text-transform:none">MES Forum friends, I remember when I first noticed Passover and Easter could coincide. My Jewish friend informed me that, in fact, they often overlapped. He was one of the many Israelis who frequented Thailand, where I was
living at the time. One of the many multi-cultural experiences I have been blessed with in my life. </span></div>
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<span style="text-transform:none">So I was reminded of that long ago moment when I overheard a conversation three young women were having last Wednesday, the first day of Passover this year. When one of them texted her Dad to ask whether she should order a
bagel or not because Passover was starting her friend made a comment that revealed she was confused about which holiday she was referring to. She immediately got a lesson about what Passover is and the fact that the Jewish holiday often happens along with
Easter. </span></div>
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<div style="direction:ltr; font-family:-webkit-standard"><span style="font-size:16px">Celebration of the Persian New Year, Nowruz, also, takes place over the course of a couple weeks, and sometimes overlaps with Passover. A fact I learned this year from my
</span>Iranian friends. Coincidentally, Eid al-Fitr also occurred near the Spring Equinox this year, a rarer synchronization. Four holidays, four traditions, one season this year. </div>
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<div style="direction:ltr; font-family:-webkit-standard; font-size:16px">How ever you celebrate this time of year, I hope you have been enjoying time with friends and family! Breath in the wonderful perfumes and the sights of Spring blooms as you go about your
business this week. :-)</div>
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With gratitude<span style="text-transform:none">,</span></div>
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<span style="text-transform:none">Melinda</span></div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:9pt; color:rgb(63,68,67)"><img src="cid:image001.png@01DA5DBF.6FBE9A70" alt="The Ohio State University" id="Picture_x0020_1" width="279" height="39" style="width:2.9166in; height:0.4166in; max-width:100%; margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px"><br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-family:"Buckeye Sans 2"; font-size:9pt; color:rgb(186,12,47); background-color:white"><b>Melinda McClimans, PhD</b></span><span style="font-family:"Buckeye Sans 2"; font-size:9pt; color:rgb(63,68,67)"><br>
Assistant Director<br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-family:"Buckeye Sans 2"; font-size:9pt; color:rgb(186,12,47)"><b>The Ohio State University</b></span><span style="font-family:"Buckeye Sans 2"; font-size:9pt; color:rgb(63,68,67)"><br>
Office of International Affairs<br>
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</span><span style="font-family:"Buckeye Sans 2"; font-size:9pt; color:rgb(186,12,47); background-color:white"><a href="mailto:mcclimans.2@osu.edu" style="color:rgb(186,12,47); margin-top:0px; margin-bottom:0px">mcclimans.2@osu.edu</a></span><span style="font-family:"Buckeye Sans 2"; font-size:9pt; color:rgb(63,68,67); background-color:white"> /
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:9pt; color:rgb(63,68,67)"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Buckeye Sans 2"; font-size:9pt; color:rgb(33,33,33)">Affiliated Researcher, Sustainability Institute</span><span style="font-family:"Buckeye Sans 2"; font-size:9pt; color:rgb(63,68,67)"><br>
<br>
</span><span style="font-family:"Buckeye Sans 2"; font-size:9pt; color:rgb(63,68,67); background-color:white">Pronouns: she/her</span></p>
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