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| A Reflection from the University Chaplaincy
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"A familiar place, seen in a quieter light." The Goddard Chapel under a starry night.
Photo credit: Lakshmi Balasubramaniam, Graduate Student Communications Intern
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The Passover Seder is framed by two evocative rituals.
Early in the Seder we take a matzah, the flat, unleavened bread of affliction and break it in two. One half remains on the table. The other half is wrapped and hidden away. Later, near the very end of the night, that hidden piece — the afikoman — is sought out, retrieved, and eaten. Only then can the Seder conclude.
On the surface, this hide and seek routine is a device to keep children engaged.
However, the ritual suggests a deeper emotional architecture. The Seder begins with
breakage and loss and ends with a discovery.
We all begin life with a wholesome innocence. Childhood carries a certain immediacy,
curiosity without self-consciousness, joy without calculation, questions without
embarrassment. Then we grow. Responsibilities accumulate. Social norms and
expectations settle in. We learn to edit ourselves. Somewhere along the way, something
is lost.
This shift is rarely dramatic, and it often goes unnoticed. We do not suddenly or
consciously abandon these childlike characteristics. Rather, they erode gradually as we
become fluent in the language of the world: productivity, accountability, status, and less
fluent in the language we once spoke effortlessly: play, imagination, untrammeled curiosity.
The Seder refuses to let that process go unnoticed.
Before we tell the grand story of liberation, we perform a ritual of breakage and concealment, suggesting that exile is not only geographic or political, but also psychological. A piece of ourselves goes missing when we leave the expanse of
childhood and enter the structured, demanding world of adulthood.
In this sense, the entire Seder can be understood on the psychological plane as one of
self-seeking. And then, at the end of a long night of questions and discussion, we
retrieve what was hidden and reintegrate it into our lives.
Wholeness, in this sense, is not a return to the world of childhood. Innocence, once lost,
is neither recoverable nor, in truth, desirable. We cannot, and should not, unlearn
responsibility, self-awareness, or the weight of moral choice. The Seder does not undo
the breaking; it dignifies it. The matzah remains fractured, just as adulthood remains
complicated. But the hidden piece returns to the table. What was once concealed is not
restored as naïveté, but reintegrated as memory, an element of openness and wonder
carried consciously into a more mature self.
In a university setting, a place devoted to growth, achievement, and preparation for
what comes next, this message feels especially resonant. Education expands us, but it
can also fragment us. We sharpen skills and define ambitions, and yet sometimes lose
sight of the parts of ourselves that made us curious in the first place.
The ritual of the Seder invites a penetrating question: What have you hidden? What part
of your younger self--your wonder, your creativity, your simple joy waits quietly to be
reclaimed?
Personal liberation is achieved when one has the honesty to acknowledge fracture and
loss, the courage to go in search of that loss, and the faith to bring it home, reintegrating
it into the life we are still building.
Rabbi Dr. Naftali Brawer
Jewish Chaplain and Executive Director, Tufts Hillel
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Upcoming Signature Events
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Performance: Keep Their Heads Ringin'
Saturday, March 28, 10:00 a.m., Procession from the Aidekman Arts Center to Goddard Chapel
Through live and recorded sound, Keep Their Heads Ringin’ takes on the complicated symbolism of the bell as an emblem of freedom and equality, which is also marked with failure: the Liberty Bell’s famed crack that rendered the iconic hunk of cast-iron broken and silent at its arrival, or in the case of a campus belltower, echoes of Kent State and other acts of real or virtual violence set upon campus freedoms.
Developed in 2020, Keep Their Heads Ringin’ questions notions of freedom, by laying bare the violence of institutional racism and its degradation—specifically addressing the rise in anti-Asian hate during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reconsidered for Tufts University and its belltower in Goddard Chapel in 2025 in partnership with Tufts University Chaplaincy, the sound installation and participatory procession invites visitors to move though campus together under this soundtrack and newly composed score by sound artist Austin Fisher, asking us truly what freedom means.
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Spring 2026 Interfaith Field Trips
Join the University Chaplaincy on its spring Interfaith Field Trip Series! We will be visiting St. Mary’s Orthodox Church in Cambridge, MA on Wednesday, April 1 (6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.) and the secular Jewish cultural organization Boston Worker’s Circle on Monday, April 13 (5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.). You can sign up for one or both, and all travel and meal costs are covered. Undergraduate and graduate students are all welcome! Please email chaplaincy@tufts.edu with any questions, and RSVP today!
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Tufts Table: Stories that Shape Our Community: Where Paths Cross & Diverge
Tuesday, April 14, 2026, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., Breed Hall, 51 Winthrop Street
Open to All Tufts students, faculty, and staff! This event will highlight the important work of the Prejudice to Pluralism cohort and invite us to reflect on how we can productively engage across differences at Tufts. Guided by a pluralism framework, we will explore ways to strengthen relationships and collaborate on shared concerns. Learn more about the Tufts Table here.
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Religious and Philosophical Events and Gatherings
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Sri Lakshmi Temple Visit
Saturday, March 28, 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Take a break from your busy schedule and join the Tufts Hindu community for a peaceful visit to Sri Lakshmi Temple in Ashland. This short spiritual retreat offers time for reflection, connection, and community, followed by lunch at the temple. Travel and food are covered, and all are welcome - RSVP by March 25 to reserve your spot!
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Small Art, Big Wisdom Opening Ceremony
Thursday, March 26, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., Well Gallery, SMFA, 230 Fenway
We are pleased to invite you to the opening reception for Small Art, Big Wisdom. This exhibition features the work of nine artists. The evening will begin with twnety minutes of viewing in the Well Gallery. We will then move to the Anderson Gallery for a performance by the University Chaplaincy Multifaith Choir, Voices for Peace & Light, followed by reflections from the artists on their creative processes and a shared dinner.
Please join us for this special event and learn more about Small Art, Big Wisdom! For questions, contact Chaplain Vineetha Mahayaye.
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Proud Reflections: A Celebration of Trans Day of Visibility
Monday, March 30, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Interfaith Center
Join the LGBT Center and the Univesity Chaplaincy for dinner from Sugar and Spice as we gather to celebrate Trans Day of Visibility (TDOV). We will have special craft activities during our evening together, and ample opportunity to reflect and connect as we uplift joy and solidarity with the trans community in these challenging times. Hosted by the interfaith groups COFFEE and True Colors.
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The Monday Reset
Mondays, 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., Interfaith Center, 58 Winthrop St, Medford
The Monday Reset is a weekly space to slow down and recharge. Each session includes relaxing music, light movement, guided meditation, thoughtful reflections, and insights from ancient Indian wisdom texts, shared in a practical way. Enjoy a free dinner and start your week feeling calmer and more centered. No experience or background needed. For more information, contact Interfaith Ambassador Niam Lakhani.
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Passover at Tufts Hillel
Passover is observed Wednesday, April 1 to Thursday, April 9
Join Tufts Hillel for all or part of our Passover programming, including Seders, meals, and events. Learn more about the the Passover at Hillel here.
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Holy Week Observances: Stations of the Cross and Good Friday Service
- Wednesday, April 1, 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., Goddard Chapel
- Friday, and April 3, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m., Goddard Chapel
We gather on Good Friday at noon in Goddard Chapel to bear witness to Christ’s suffering and death. This ecumenical service is a time of prayer, song, and readings interspersed with the extinguishing of candles in the tradition of Tenebrae. It will also feature the veneration of the Cross. University Chaplaincy Associate Director and Catholic Chaplain Lynn Cooper will preside, and Protestant Chaplain Dan Bell will preach. Also, on Holy Wednesday, April 1, 8-9pm, in Goddard Chapel, all are welcome to reflect on the final hours of Christ’s earthly life, Passion, and death during this solemn practice of guided prayer with art and movement, led by Protestant Chaplain Dan Bell. Please email Catholic Chaplain Lynn Cooper or Protestant Chaplain Dan Bell with any questions.
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Easter Sunday Celebrations
Sunday, April 5, 2026
- Easter Egg Hunt, 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., President’s Lawn
- Easter Mass with the Catholic Community, 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., Goddard Chapel
- Easter Dinner featuring music by S-Factor, 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., Interfaith Center
For those who wish, please join us after the egg hunt for a walk to the Interfaith Center for a time of decorating! All are welcome. Also, please note that Protestant Evening Worship will not be held on Easter. Sponsored by Tufts’ undergraduate Christian student organizations: Asian Baptist Fellowship, C. Stacey Woods/InterVaristy, Catholic Community at Tufts, Daily Flame, Orthodox Christian Fellowship, and Protestant Students Association. Please email Protestant Chaplain Dan Bell with any questions.
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To see more upcoming religious holidays and festivals, including information about seeking religious accommodations at Tufts, please follow the link to the Tufts Multifaith Calendar.
Lent
Wed., Feb. 18 - Sat. Apr. 4
Tradition: Christian-Catholic and Protestant
In the churches that follow the Gregorian calendar, Lent is a six-week observance (40 days excluding Sundays) beginning with Ash Wednesday and culminating in Holy Week. It is a time of repentance and sacrifice in preparation for Easter. Observance(s) during this time may include fasting.
Birthday of the Prophet Zarathustra (Khordad Sal)
Thu., Mar. 26, 2026
Tradition: Zoroastrianism
The anniversary of the birth of the founder of the Zoroastrian faith.
Ramanavami
Thu., Mar. 26, 2026
Tradition: Hinduism
Celebrates the birthday of Rama, the seventh incarnation of the God Vishnu. The Ramayana, one of the Hindu epics that tells the story of Rama, is read during the previous eight days.
Palm Sunday
Sun., Mar. 29, 2026
Tradition: Christianity-Catholic and Protestant
Celebrates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, marking the beginning of Holy Week that culminates in Easter or Pascha. In some churches, Palm Sunday is combined with the anticipation of Christ’s death and so is also known as “Passion Sunday.” Orthodox Christians observe this Sunday on a date different from the date on which Protestant and Roman Catholics observe it.
Mahavir Jayanti
Tue., Mar. 31, 2026
Tradition: Jainism
Celebrates the birthday of Lord Mahavira. Born with the name Vardhamana in ca. 599 BCE, he was later given the titles of honor, Mahavira ("Great Hero") and Jina ("Conqueror" or "Victor"), a title applied also to the other Tirthankaras.
Passover/Pesach
Wed., Apr. 1 – Thu., Apr. 9, 2026
Tradition: Judaism
Begins at sundown on the first day listed. Passover commemorates the deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. It is celebrated for eight days with special prayers and symbolic foods at home, starting with the Seder, a ritual meal that re-enacts that ancient deliverance and emphasizes the freedom of the Jews under the guidance of God.
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The University Chaplaincy is a dynamic hub supporting religious, spiritual, ethical, and cultural life for all members of the Tufts community. We provide spiritual care, support religious and philosophical communities, educate about spiritual and ethical issues in society and the world, and promote multifaith engagement.
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