Google Calendar has removed International Holocaust Remembrance Day and Jewish American Heritage Month from its default display in the United States, marking part of a broader decision to eliminate a variety of cultural and ethnic observances from the app.
This change has gained attention recently as various companies across the United States reduce diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in response to directives from the Trump administration targeting DEI efforts. However, Google explained to tech news sources that these modifications to the calendar started in mid-2024 and were made due to logistical challenges rather than any government influence.
“Some years ago, the Calendar team started manually adding a broader set of cultural moments in a wide number of countries around the world. We got feedback that some other events and countries were missing — and maintaining hundreds of moments manually and consistently globally wasn’t scalable or sustainable,” the company, valued at $2.3 trillion, told The Verge.
In addition to the removal of International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27 and Jewish American Heritage Month in May, other observances such as Pride Month and Black History Month are no longer displayed by default. Since Donald Trump’s presidency, certain official observances of International Holocaust Remembrance Day have been canceled in line with the broader push against DEI initiatives.
The changes to Google Calendar were highlighted in the same week that Google Maps altered the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, a name change introduced by Trump. On Tuesday, the White House also took action against the Associated Press, blocking a reporter from a briefing after demanding that the news outlet revise its style guide to reflect the new name.
{Matzav.com}
WHO CARES?!! At least they removed happy month and black month too.
Now If they only get rid of that ridiculous juneteenth shtuyot.
Misleading headline
I hate the name Juneteenth, but why in the world should it not be celebrated? Pardon the comparison, but we celebrate our freedom from bondage. As for celebrating the day the news reached them, as apposed to the day the emancipation was signed, according to RaShBI, the taanis of Teves is on the 5th day, for that was the day the news of the Churban Bayis Rishon arrived in Bavel.
(I understand that our YT are different, but on the face of it, in the world of pshat, it is certainly a day to celebrate and commemorate. I estimate that at least 95% of Americans are very happy that the slaves were freed. So why shouldn’t they celebrate it? It’s a very significant milestone!)
Good thing they removed the Holocaust Remembrance Day in January in the US because it’s incorrect. Jews in Israel should also remove the Zionist date in Nisan because Holocaust Remembrance Day should remembered on Tisha b’Av together with churban Botei Hamikdash. Does Israel at least say Kaddish for the Kedoshim Hy”d on Yom Hashoah or have its people stand like an idiot for a minute or two and do nothing?
What’s Jewish American Heritage? Remembering secular Jews whose children intermarried?
Well said.