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First-year students recently joined the University Chaplaincy for a tour of the Boston Museum of African American History and a trip to The Embrace Memorial as a part of the Chaplaincy’s First-Year Experience field trip series on October 19th, 2024.
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A Reflection from the University Chaplaincy
Dear Tufts Community,
It is a pleasure to introduce myself as I begin my second week on campus. I am deeply touched by the warm welcome I’ve received and look forward to meeting more members of this wonderful community. From the beautiful Goddard Chapel to the cozy, inviting Interfaith Center, I’ve already encountered many engaged and thoughtful individuals here. Serving this community as a chaplain is an honor, and I am always happy to share a conversation over tea or coffee with anyone who may need a listening ear, engaging dialogue, or even just stave off boredom.
As God says in the Qur’an, “We made you into peoples and tribes so you may know one another” (49:13). For me, this is a call for more than just shallow greetings and social niceties. True engagement—conversations where both people are open to being changed—can create deep connections. Every conversation has the hidden possibility of such serendipitous transformation.
The Qur’an is made up of individual ayahs, or verses, but the word ayah also means sign or symbol—something that points to a greater truth. The Qur’an tells us these ayahs are present in the world around us, and it invites us to read the world as a divine text. Our perception of reality is often shaped by our routines and expectations, but when we step outside of these, we open ourselves to reflection and transformation. Indeed, the possibilities abound on a college campus, where our diversity and life histories offer each one of us a dizzying array of experiences to engage with, and people to learn about.
Engaging the different traditions and perspectives—religious or otherwise—of those around us, we are invited to examine what holds meaning in our own lives. This imperative to “know thyself,” famously inscribed on the Temple of Apollo in Delphi, also lies at the heart of the Platonic dialogue Alcibiades. In this dialogue, Socrates chastises the young Alcibiades for believing he understands the essence of governance, peace, and justice, despite not knowing himself. It is a critique of Alcibiades’ hubris for presuming he knows the world when he barely knows himself. But getting to know oneself is not easy, and Socrates agrees to assist the youth in undertaking this essential journey. In order to know ourselves, we have to engage with others who will reflect back to us pieces of wisdom and knowledge whereby we will learn about the world that we share.
The November election grows ever closer, and I am reminded by both the Qur’an and Socrates of the value of preserving our contentious, contradictory, and confusing democracy. It is within this rich interplay of differing perspectives that we come to understand one another, and through that, ourselves. By listening to the diverse voices within our community, we uncover deeper truths about our own lives.
I applaud the efforts of everyone here at Tufts who advocates for others, amplifies the voices of the dispossessed, and assists their neighbors and their community members in making this a home for all.
Salām,
Khan Shairani
Muslim Chaplain
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Engaging Elections: Student Voices
Wednesday, October 30th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Interfaith Center
The Interfaith Ambassador team will hold a space to grapple with the connections between faith and politics and the issues of faith in our elections at this unique moment in history. We invite you to hear from fellow students, explore your personal experiences with the intersections of politics and faith, and create avenues of connection within our community. Dinner will be served. This event is co-sponsored by Tisch College's GLADI, the Latinx Center, the Africana Center, the First Resource Center, and the Asian American Center. Please RSVP here by Monday, October 28th. Email Anthony.Cruz_Pantojas@tufts.edu with any questions.
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Harvard Square Homeless Shelter Volunteering
Thursdays, starting October 24th from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Harvard Square Homeless Shelter
All are welcome to join us in volunteering at the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter. Starting October 24th, we will send 4-5 students to help serve dinner at the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter, located in University Lutheran Church, 66 Winthrop St., in Cambridge (in the middle of Harvard Square). The University Chaplaincy will provide a T Pass for transportation on the 96 bus into Harvard Square, which stops at 6:10 in front of the LGBT Center. Volunteers travel together and we will send new folks with returners to offer support and guidance. As a volunteer, you decide which weeks you are able to serve. We will have this shift throughout the semester. Please contact University Chaplaincy Associate Director Lynn.Cooper@tufts.edu if you are interested in signing up or learning more.
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Ponder & Pause
Wednesdays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at Goddard Chapel
Join us each Wednesday for an opportunity to engage in spiritual practices that help us recenter, express gratitude, reflect on our lives, and care for others. Whether it's lighting a candle, walking the labyrinth, meditation, creating a prayer bead bracelet, or writing a card, all are welcome to engage in one or all of the practices.
A chaplain will be available from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM to guide participants through stations, foster deeper reflection, and provide support. Take this time to pause, practice gratitude, and share this space in hope and healing for yourself and the community.
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Religious and Philosophical Events and Gatherings
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Our events and weekly gatherings are open to everyone in the Tufts community. You can find a calendar and descriptions of our regular events on our website. If you have an idea for a gathering or event, please contact the University Chaplaincy.
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Students decorated 'period packs' with menstrual healthcare products for displaced people in affected regions of Lebanon during Period Palooza at the Interfaith Center, co-sponsored by the Muslim Students Association on October 16, 2024.
Photo credit: Lynn Cooper
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Halloween Toothcare Drive for Somerville Homeless Coalition
Goddard Chapel until October 28th
The Tufts Protestant Students Association is hosting a Halloween Toothcare Drive to benefit the Somerville Homeless Coalition. Join us in collecting toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other oral care products, which can be dropped off at Goddard Chapel until October 28th. Contact Lian.Juergens@tufts.edu with any questions.
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Simchat Torah Celebration
Thursday, October 24th at 7:00 PM at Tufts Hillel
Join Tufts Hillel for a Simchat Torah celebration on Thursday, October 24th! We will be joining together for the holiday of Simchat Torah which celebrates the annual conclusion of reading the Torah. There will be singing, dancing with the Torah, and lots of food – we hope to see you there! All are welcome! For more offerings from Hillel, click here.
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Pumpkin-Picking trip with the Protestant Students Association
Saturday, October 26th from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Join the Tufts Protestant Students Association for a Pumpkin-Picking trip to Hansen's Farm in Framingham this Saturday, October 26th. We will leave campus around 1:00 PM and return a few hours later, between 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Transportation will be provided. Please sign up using the QR Code on the flyer or RSVP here. Contact Liam.Randall@tufts.edu or Charlotte.Conroy@tufts.edu with any questions.
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Humanist Chaplaincy Fall Book Club
Wednesdays, from 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM at the Interfaith Center
Join the Humanist Chaplaincy's Fall Book Club! This semester, we are delving into We of Little Faith: Why I Stopped Pretending To Believe (and Maybe You Should Too) by Kate Cohen. To join, e-mail Anthony (anthony.cruz_pantojas@tufts.edu).
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Sacraments Class
Every other Sunday at 3:00 PM in Goddard Chapel
There is always room in our Sacraments Class! Designed for both students who are preparing to receive the Sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation) and all who have already received but wish to go deep and re-encounter this central element of Catholic tradition. Class time will be spent in small group discussions, spiritual practice, and engaging with art and music from different cultural contexts. The fall semester focuses on expanding our sacramental consciousness, inviting us to stay awake to the divine around us and reflect on our already holy lives. The second semester will be devoted to exploring individual Sacraments of Initiation, culminating in Easter Vigil and Confirmation liturgies. All are welcome and as always, come as you are! Contact Lynn.Cooper@tufts.edu to learn more.
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| Partner and Community Programs
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Jumbo Spring Break info social
Thursday, October 24th at 8:00 PM in Campus Center 209
Tuesday, October 29th at 8:00 PM in Campus Center 112
We are excited to announce that JSB will be back for the second year! Jumbo Spring Break takes place during the university Spring Break, from March 15 to 23. This year’s JSB is a Collegiate Challenge trip with Habitat for Humanity. To learn more, attend one of our info socials. Each info social will cover the same content; it is being offered multiple times to accommodate different schedules.
Based on the ideas that housing is a human right and that all of us working together in community can contribute what we are able to each other, our week will involve hands-on construction at a Habitat for Humanity build site. You may find yourself installing siding, painting, putting up drywall, or doing other build work. No construction experience or knowledge required; training and equipment will be provided. After the build day is finished, you can expect evenings filled with group dinners, social events, and local sightseeing. Please email Springbreak@tufts.edu with any questions and find more information here.
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Tufts Inclusive Education Series: "Tools and Strategies for Addressing Racial Inequality"
Workshop: Friday, October 25th from 2:30 PM to 3:45 PM
Post Dialogue: Monday, October 28th from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM
The Tufts Inclusive Education Series is a workshop series designed to equip students with the knowledge and tools needed to mitigate various forms of bias. These workshops offer a unique opportunity to deepen your understanding of discrimination while learning practical steps to advocate for positive change. Register for the event here.
Following each workshop, a dialogue opportunity will be offered to process what you learned in the workshop and build an understanding of your peers’ lived experiences related to the session. In this time, you will be in dialogue with peers who may hold different perspectives.
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In Celebration of Rumi
Saturday, November 2nd from 6:30 PM to 8 PM at First Church in Cambridge
11 Garden St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Livestream also available on CMM's website.
Sunday, November 3rd from 3 PM to 4:30 PM at Temple Beth Israel
25 Harvard St, Waltham, MA 02453
Limited seating
For over twenty years, Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries, through its Ruah Interfaith Spirituality & The Arts Program, has presented an evening of music, the whirling of dervishes, and inspiring readings from the work of 13th-century Sufi mystic Jalaluddin Rumi, whose poetry is filled with a longing for God the Friend and the Beloved. Rumi (1207-1273) has become the best-selling poet in America. Born in what is now Afghanistan, Rumi lived most of his life in Turkey. His poetic images cross boundaries of time, space, religion and culture, bringing inspiration and guidance.
Preceding the whirling prayer, we will be treated to readings from Rumi’s poetry in Farsi and in English. The Sema will be accompanied by the beautiful sound of the ney and other instruments with our friends from Orkestra Marhaba. Both events are free with optional donation.
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Election Night Extravaganza
Tuesday, November 5th from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM at the Joyce Cumming Center
Join an election night takeover of the Joyce Cummings Center and celebrate the democratic process with your friends! Gather as a community to watch early election results come in on big screens*, enjoy food, games, trivia, a photo booth and other fun activities, join optional political discussions, take advantage of de-stress zones, and more. No matter how you plan on commemorating this election, the JCC is your one-stop-shop for experiencing election night together as a Tufts community. All are welcome! Drop in for a short time or stay for the duration.
This event is sponsored by Tisch College, the Dean of Students Office, the Office for Campus Life, the Experimental College, the Arts & Sciences Toupin-Bolwell Fund, Office of Residential Life & Learning, the Tufts Republicans, the Tufts Democrats, the Tufts Federalist Society, JumboVote and the TCU Senate.
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Sufi utterances for peace: Qawwali Mehfil performed by Ghayoor-Moiz-Mustafa Qawwal & Brothers
Wednesday, November 6th at 6:30 PM in Distler Performance Hall, Granoff Music Center
Qawwali is a form of Sufi devotional voice and instrumental performance, originating in South Asia. Each performance is unique as these classically trained vocalists, who are amongst the most exciting contemporary practitioners, interweave verse-chorus sequences that are rich in poetic and spiritual symbolism in Urdu, Farsi, Hindi, Poorvi, Arabic, Punjabi.
Event co-sponsored by: the Harvard University History Department, Tufts Center for South Asia and Indian Ocean Studies (CSAIOS), Departments of Music; Religion; Race Colonialism & Diaspora (RCD); English; & Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies (TDPS), The Toupin Bolwell Fund, Center for the Humanities at Tufts (CHAT), The University Chaplaincy, Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life, Office of Institutional Inclusive Excellence & The Graduate Student Council.
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Upcoming Religious Celebrations and Observances
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.
Sukkot
Wednesday, October 16 – Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Begins at sundown on the first day listed. Also known as Feast of Booths. An eight-day Jewish festival of booths (or tabernacles) and the fall harvest. The name refers to the booths (sukkot) used by Israelites during desert wanderings and constructed in the fields during the harvest season. It is a time of thanksgiving for God's presence in creation and among the Jewish people. The Eighth Day (Shmini 'Atzeret) is considered both the end of Sukkot and a distinct festival. Observances may include limits to participation in academics or work.
Shemini Atzeret
Wednesday, October 23 – Friday, October 25, 2024
Begins at sundown on the first day listed. Translates as "Eighth Day of the Assembly;" unclear purpose in the bible and has had many forms of celebration. Comes at the end of Sukkot and almost coincides with Simchat Torah. Observances may include limits to participation in academics or work.
Simchat Torah
Thursday, October 24 – Friday, October 25, 2024
Begins at sundown on the first day listed. Translates as "Rejoicing of the Law." Joyous festival in which the annual cycle of the reading of the Torah in the synagogue is completed and its first book begun again. The celebration typically includes singing, dancing, and marching with Torah scrolls. Observances may include limits to participation in academics or work.
Diwali (Dipavali)
Thursday, October 31 – Friday, November 1, 2024
Perhaps the most popular of all Hindu festivals, also known as the Festival of Lights, it is dedicated to the goddess Kali in Bengal and to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, in the rest of India. As with several other festivals, Diwali is associated with one of the stories about the destruction of evil by Vishnu in one of his many manifestations. Observances may include limits to participation in academics or work.
Samhain
Thursday, October 31 – Friday, November 1, 2024
Begins at sundown on the first day listed. The New Year and the final harvest festival, celebrating the last gifts of the Earth before winter and the return of the spirits of the dead.
All Saints’ Day
Friday, November 1, 2024
All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, the Feast of All Saints, the Feast of All Hallows, the Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallowmas, is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honor of all the saints of the church, whether they are known or unknown. Observances may include limits to participation in academics or work.
Diwali (Mahavir Nirvana)
Friday, November 1, 2024
This "Festival of Lamps" celebrates the attainment of Moksa by Lord Mahavira. A burning lamp symbolizes the "light of knowledge," which dispels the darkness of delusion and ignorance.
All Souls' Day
Saturday, November 2, 2024
All Souls' Day, also called The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, is a day of prayer and remembrance for the faithful departed, observed by certain Christian denominations on 2 November. Observances may include limits to participation in academics or work.
Birth of the Bab
Saturday, November 2, 2024
The anniversary of the birth of the Bab, the herald of the new age for Baha'is. The Shrine of the Bab in Haifa, Israel, is part of the World Center of the Baha'i faith.
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Support the University Chaplaincy
Supporting programs at Tufts University in religious, spiritual, ethical, and cultural life is easy and vital to our work. To donate, please click on the button below. Thank you for your generosity.
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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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