This past week marked Passover time in Judaism, the honoring of the full moon in conjunction with a full lunar eclipse by those of Pagan faiths, and the celebration of Easter for Christians. During that same week the world experienced yet another wave of religious and radicalized violence that left 147 dead at Garissa University College in Kenya and an empty noose hanging from a tree at Duke University in North Carolina. We believe that in a moment such as this we must intentionally and publicly continue the conversation about the intersections of privilege, religion, and race on our campus and in our world.

The Chaplains’ Council of Hendricks Chapel invite you to join us for the last of the new conversational series, Why Is It So Difficult To Talk About: Religious Privilege, at 6:00 p.m. at the Winnick Hillel Center for Jewish Life at 102 Walnut Place on Wednesday, April 8. Pagan Chaplain Mary Hudson will moderate the discussion. All students are welcome to attend. A free Kosher for Passover hot meal will be served with the conversation. We respectfully ask for students with meal plans to use a ‘swipe’ for their dinner if they are able to do so.

While this may incorporate a number of different topics, we hope to explore what it is like for religious, spiritual, and students not identifying with a faith, to live and study on the Syracuse University campus. We want to know what your experience has been like and how that experience intersects with other aspects of your identity. We want to hear your voice.

In the light of all that has happened this year on our campus and in the world, we challenge that you take a moment to reflect. Outside of the classroom, what have you learned? What productive conversations have you had with people that are both like and unlike yourself? Challenge yourself to continue the process of discovery through conversation this summer, next year, and for the rest of your lives.

We hope you decide to join us at our last discussion on Wednesday, April 8, and at future programming next year.

Signed,

Rev. Jikyo Bonnie Shoultz, Buddhist Chaplain
Brian Small, Executive Director Hillel at Syracuse University
Rev. Colleen Hallagan Preuninger, United Methodist Ecumenical Chaplain
Mary Hudson HPs, Pagan Chaplain
Richard Russell, Muslim Chaplain