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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in these posts are those of the author(s) and are not necessarily shared by CRSL or by Smith College.
Tag Archives: Jewish
Think of Criticalhope as One Word
Critical hope seems at first to be a contradiction in terms–a clash of two universes of discourse. “Hope” has to do with the experience of faith which inspires vision, which engages us in action and (hopefully) to a sacred, healing … Continue reading
Mrs. New’s Tattoo
I remember the first time I really saw the numbers tattooed on Mrs. New’s arm. I had seen them before, but by 11 years old, I knew enough to really see them. I remember a 2 and a long chain … Continue reading
Memory and History
Memory and Historiography–the writing of history–are two forces that stand in opposition for the heart and soul of a people. Of the two, memory has much more power than history. I learned this from a small book I read in … Continue reading
Ruth Bader Ginsberg, a Tzadik
After Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, 11-year-old Micah Blay made a pilgrimage to the U.S. Supreme Court and blew the shofar for the hundreds of people gathered there. In keeping with Jewish custom, they laid small stones on the steps … Continue reading
Posted in History, Holidays, Programs & Events, Reflections, Social Justice, Spirituality
Tagged campus news, CRSL news, grief, Jewish, politics, world news
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People of the Mask
My son is now a project manager for a large hospital system. Two weeks ago, he took on the task of getting remote communications and monitoring programs into ICUs so nurses could monitor Covid-19 patients without having to always enter … Continue reading
Posted in Interfaith Matters, Newsletter Articles, Reflections, Social Justice, Spirituality
Tagged campus news, community, CRSL news, Jewish, spirituality
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Fear and Freedom: Hand in Hand
“The caged bird sings with a fearful trill, of things unknown, but longed for still, and his tune is heard on the distant hill, for the caged bird sings of freedom.” ― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Here … Continue reading
Posted in Holidays, Interfaith Matters, Newsletter Articles, Reflections, Social Justice, Spirituality
Tagged Christianity, CRSL news, Easter, Jewish, Passover, worship
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Times of Captivity, a Time of Liberation
For the next two issues, our newsletter will focus on the theme of liberation. Passover, the holiday which began last night, April 8, commemorates the successful exodus of the Hebrew people out of slavery in Egypt. The COVID-19 crisis kept … Continue reading
Uncertainty
There is a Jewish holiday dedicated to uncertainty. Its very name, Purim, means “dice.” During the holiday, the community reads the Book of Esther, a biblical book in which God is never mentioned. In the Book of Esther, God works … Continue reading
Posted in History, Holidays, Newsletter Articles, Response Statements
Tagged community, Jewish, Smith College Jewish Community
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Mourning Places of Worship Victimized By Violence
Christchurch, Sri Lanka, San Diego. In recent years there have been increasingly common attacks on places of worship all over the world. In our diverse international, multi-religious, multicultural community here at Smith anywhere a tragedy happens will likely touch someone. … Continue reading
Posted in Exhibitions, Interfaith Matters, Response Statements, Social Justice
Tagged Christianity, Islam, Jewish, spirituality, worship
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Activism in religious spaces:
Smithies pushing for peace at the J Street Conference
A handful of Smithies traveled to our nation’s Capitol last weekend to join 1,200 students at the national J-Street conference, which coincided with the organization’s 10th anniversary. J-Street is a national political movement that advocates for a peaceful, two-state resolution to … Continue reading
Posted in Interfaith Matters, Social Justice, Student Reflections
Tagged identity, Jewish, national news, politics, travel, world news
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