Interfaith Ritual for Collective and Community Care

By Lauren Kelly Benson, October 7, 2024

Come Be Nurtured in Community - October 8th, 2024

The Office of Religious and Spiritual Life is planning a week of programming that will intentionally acknowledge and hold the impact of October 7, 2023, on faith and campus communities worldwide. These events include both affinity faith spaces and interfaith spaces.

A mostly orange and blue poster states "Interfaith Community Care Ritual: Nurture in Collective: Offie of Spirtual Life invites you to co-hold the immensity, grief, and complexities of the past year since the events of October 7 and the Israel-Hamas War. Be held by live music, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, and EArth-based prayers and readings; and community followed by tea, soup, etc. Muller Chapel Gathering Hall October 8th, 2024, 5pm-5:45pm: A place to hold our emotions, not out thoughts or

As part of this series of collective and community care events, the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life will host and guide a supportive interfaith ritual on Tuesday, October 8, in which the IC community is invited to co-hold the immensity, grief, and complexities of the past year since the events of October 7 and the Israel-Hamas War. Not a space for discussion or political views, this ritual is about being nurtured in collective. Designed to allow the natural elements of the chapel – pond and nature view, fireplace, and collective gathering – to come together with the elements of multi faith prayer, readings, music, and food, this ritual is open to and hopes to be uplifting and supportive to everyone, regardless of faith or political leanings. We will acknowledge and be with the impact, grief, and nuances of the emotions of the last year without offering “opinions,” about them.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Lauren Kelly Benson at SpiritualLife@Ithaca.edu or 607-274-7798. We ask that requests for accommodations be made as soon as possible.