Thank you to our leadership board for offering the following reflections!

 

“On my first Wednesday after Thanksgiving Break, I attended the Interfaith Table’s Gratitude Dinner. This celebration allowed students from various religious backgrounds to come together for an Interfaith-spin on the national holiday. The evening began with time to socialize, followed by a Wegman’s-catered dinner. Students were able to introduce themselves, as well as their faiths, during this time. This was a great opportunity to share our stories, while also hearing out the experiences of others.

At the end of the evening, we did a series of activities, my favorite being trivia. Did you know the voice of Bugs Bunny was Jewish? Did you know that the lotus was an important symbol to the Buddhist faith? Did you know that coffee came from the Islamic world? Trivia really allowed me to see the “hidden beauties” of each and every faith. One of my greatest takeaways, as a result of this activity, is that every faith has brought something unique to this world. The unique differences of each faith have contributed to great ideas and innovations. This is something we should all embrace as students at a diverse institution.

When you do not practice a certain faith, it may be difficult to understand the traditions. However, taking the opportunity to learn about other religions can be a very enlightening experience. I urge you to do your research and get out into the community so that you can grow to appreciate the faiths outside your own. I am looking forward to the next Interfaith Table Event.”

– Jackie

 

“Anthropologist Margaret Mead once said, ‘Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.’ I doubt that Dr. Mead was predicting what might happen at a diverse table of college students, but her words certainly sum up my sentiments about the first Interfaith Table gathering.

Although I must confess to initially feeling slightly discouraged by the low attendance numbers at an event I had hoped would be overflowing with visitors, little did I realize how wonderfully things would work out. We didn’t have an enormous crowd with some rowdy people shouting over one another, some unenthusiastic people only interested in the food, and some shy people feeling too overwhelmed to say a word. Instead, we had a small group of passionate, inquisitive, and engaged students who were eager to share their own memories, opinions, and faiths, and who were equally curious about the perspectives and experiences of the others.

Thanks to our Baptist, Jewish, Hindu, and even non-religious visitors, I learned so much about different faith traditions and various religions in general. (Who would have guessed that Superman was Jewish?) We shared much more than a meal — we shared laughter, interesting stories from different religions, fun trivia facts, and serious points of reflection. It was amazing to see that despite our diversity and differences, as Nelson Mandela reminded us, ‘our human connection binds us the one to the other.'”

– Eliza