The March for Racial Justice has been scheduled for Sept. 30, in commemoration of the Elaine Massacre that killed hundreds of black people in Elaine, Arkansas, in 1919. News U.S. March for Racial Justice seeks amends over Yom Kippur date Facebook Twitter Email SMS WhatsApp Share By JTA | August 16, 2017 The March for Racial Justice, scheduled for Yom Kippur, is looking to adjust its schedule to accommodate Jewish marchers. The date of the march will not be changed, but related events may be held on that Saturday night or the next day. In a statement Wednesday, organizers of the civil rights march said that scheduling the event on Yom Kippur, which falls this year on Sept. 30, “was a grave and hurtful oversight on our part. It was unintentional and we are sorry for this pain as well as for the time it has taken for us to respond. Our mistake highlights the need for our communities to form stronger relationships.” Organizers said they are “working on ways to include the Jewish community,” either after sundown Saturday when Yom Kippur ends, or on the next day. The main march, the statement said, will continue to be held on Sept. 30 to coincide with the anniversary of the 1919 massacre of hundreds of blacks near Elaine, Arkansas. Organizers said they also are seeking a permit for a “sister march” in New York City on Oct. 1. Critics of the march’s scheduling, including the actress Mayim Bialik, said many Jews will not be able to take part on what is sometimes described as the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, when Jews fast for 24 hours and attend lengthy synagogue services. Organizers said they regretted the overlap but would not change the date. In Wednesday’s statement, organizers said they chose Sept. 30 when their first choice was not available, and that they did not realize the day was Yom Kippur. Organizers said the white supremacist march Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia, during which one counterprotester was killed, and anti-Semitic and racist chants were heard, motivated them to accommodate Jews who wanted to take part. “We are marching in solidarity with our Jewish brothers and sisters who are observing the holiest of days on the Jewish calendar,” the statement reads. “Holding fast to Jewish tradition is also an act of resistance, in the face of growing anti-Semitism. We recognize and lift up the intersection of anti-Semitism and racism perpetrated by white supremacists, whether they wave Confederate flags, don swastikas, beat and kill people on the streets in Charlottesville, deface Holocaust memorials, or threaten and harass members of our communities and our religious and community spaces.” It concludes: “We have learned from our Jewish friends that Yom Kippur is a day of making amends and of asking and receiving forgiveness,” the statement reads. “We hope that our sincere apology will be received with compassion, and that we will build a stronger relationship among all our communities as a result.” JTA Content distributed by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency news service. Also On J. U.S. Justices in agreement &mdash no arguments on Yom Kippur Editorial Yom Kippur repentance from us From the Archives In 1973's Yom Kippur War, Israel's survival was at stake U.S. A happy Yom Kippur, courtesy of foot-in-mouth.com Subscribe to our Newsletter Enter Email Sign Up