Category Archives: Newsletter Articles

A Smith Haggadah

On the evening of Monday, April 10, the Sanctuary in Helen Hills Chapel was filled with 72 singing, laughing, and reflecting students. The Smith College Jewish Community (SCJC) hosted a Passover Seder. It was the largest, happiest, most energetic ever. … Continue reading

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Spring’s Promise:
A Witch’s Perspective

Spring is the promise of release; of cleansing; of birth waters bearing down on the valley, washing winter into the Atlantic, heralding new life and new beginnings. Early spring’s message can feel like a paradox. Warm sunny days followed by … Continue reading

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Sacred Space and Beloved Community

The Yoga aphorisms of Patanjali from the third century state “what we truly worship we make sacred.” This philosophy rings very true for me. I believe it applies to “worship” in the broadest sense: quiet, alert walks in the woods; … Continue reading

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“Sanctuary” at the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life

  The meaning of “sanctuary” has evolved significantly over the approximately seven centuries since the word was first coined. The English word comes from the Latin “sanctuarium,” which in turn is derived from “sanctus,” an adjective meaning “holy.” In its … Continue reading

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The Sanctuary Movement: A Brief History

As a religious concept, “sanctuary” is connected to a sense of holiness and means to be “set apart.” The word sanctuary, when used in the context of political movements, has come to also mean places of physical safety, as in … Continue reading

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