While You're There

The staff at NYU Prague is available to help students connect to local religious communities. Similarly, they can arrange worship space and meditation rooms when needed. In the past, students have received invitations to events organized by the local Jewish community: http://www.masortiprague.cz/. The staff has also referred students to the Saint Tomas Catholic Church and International Christian Fellowship in the city.

Because religion plays such a prominent role in Czech history, students will learn more about the topic in the Global Orientations program. Additionally, NYU Prague faculty offer a “Religion, Culture and Politics” course.

Giving students the opportunity to celebrate their religious holidays is a crucial component of NYU Prague’s commitment to IDBE. To learn about all the holidays happening during your time abroad, we recommend you to check out The Diversity Awareness Partnership’s calendar of observances and holidays celebrated across 25 traditions (PDF). 

Because Ramadan is coinciding with our academic calendar this year, we wanted to provide additional resources on how you can worship and observe fast throughout it. Here’s a little of what you can expect:

• Most of the activities of the Muslim community are shielded by the Islamic Foundation in Prague
• The Islamic Foundation is the only mosque in Prague and offers prayer rooms and service every Friday at 2 PM 
• Hala food options are available throughout the city; a list of restaurants can be found here

Stay tuned for more celebration-specific information!

NYU Prague’s prayer and meditation space is open to all students, staff, and lecturers with varying spiritual and/or personal practices.  

Students observing a religious holiday during regularly scheduled class time are entitled to miss class without any penalty to their grade. This is for the holiday only and does not include the days of travel that may come before and/or after the holiday. Information regarding absences due to religious observance must be provided to the professor and Director of Academics at NYU Prague at least seven days before the date(s) in question.

Dietary Considerations: NYU Prague does not offer a meal plan. The staff can address special dietary needs if a student indicates dietary restrictions in their housing application. If a student needs a halal or kosher kitchen, they should email their Study Away Advisor. A kosher or halal kitchen can be set up with advanced notice. In the city, there are many vegan, vegetarian, halal and kosher options close to the Academic Center. Halal and kosher food may be limited around the residence hall. Students are able to note dietary restrictions in their housing application.

You may also want to reflect on the role religion and/or spirituality play in your life now, and what your expectations or needs are for your time away. Questions to consider:

• Do you have a strong connection and/or sense of belonging to a religious or spiritual group?
• Do you have a prayer or meditation space?
• Do you go to certain places for dietary needs?
• Do you celebrate certain holidays? Are these holidays you would want to celebrate during study away?

For a full list courses offered at NYU Prague please see the course list website. 

• Roma in Central Eastern Europe: Ethnographic and Historical Overview of a People without a State
• Modern Jewish History
• Religion, Culture, & Politics in Cent Europe
  

NYU Prague’s DEI Council, is a formal action-oriented body comprised of the Site Director, student life representative, lecturer representative, and students. The primary purpose of this council is to steer and advance diversity and inclusion efforts at NYU Prague.  

NYU Prague’s informal space for conversation regarding salient social issues is led by students focused primarily on issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.