For many of the Jewish and Muslim university chaplains and faith leaders caring for students angered and shaken by the Israel-Hamas war, the needs are acute, the days intense.
Rutgers University's students place candles with the Star of David pattern to hold solidarity and vigil for Israel on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023, in New Brunswick, N.J. For many of the university chaplains and faith leaders caring for students angered and shaken by the Israel-Hamas war, the needs are acute, the days intense. The bloodshed has roiled campuses in the United States, sparking rival rallies and competing demands.
In this charged and polarizing climate, chaplains and campus ministries are navigating tensions as they console and guide students gripped with anger, pain, confusion or fear stemming from the new violence, old grievances, and the emerging narratives of the war and the broader Israel-Palestinian conflict.
Rabbi Daniel Levine with the Orange County Hillel in California views his work since the Hamas attacks and ensuing war as his most important yet. More students than usual have been attending Shabbat dinners, though some have worried about the safety of going to events, he said. Levine and his wife hosted local Jewish alumni and graduate students to provide community and a space to grieve.
While the war left some questioning the point of prayers, it’s prompted many others to practice their religion more than ever, organizing vigils and prayers, he said.
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