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.Muslim Rutgers University’s students pray on Friday, Oct.
“It was an opportunity for students to just be in a space ... where they can breathe together and listen to very calming recitations,” said Ahmad, a Muslim. “There is a deep call in the Quran, or our scripture, for standing up for justice.”“We may not have all the answers, but we are there ... for our students to process the grief that they’re feeling, but also to think about what does this mean,” she said.
“You have students that are in the most need of pastoral care and also the most need in terms of helping process their own identity and understanding geopolitics,” he said. The psychological toll on students, he said, comes as many are still figuring out “who they are and how connected they are to Judaism and where does Israel play a role into all that.”
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. Those who say “let’s take a more balanced approach and acknowledge each other’s pain” are feeling like the minority, he said.“Some students are getting very significantly involved ... I want to be mindful for them to take care of themselves,” he said. To those who are fearful or uncertain, he gives “consolation that your voice does matter and there are ways of maybe being involved and you can draw some strength in your faith.
Rabbi Reed said the Rutgers Hillel held a listening session during which counseling professionals talked to Jewish students about coping strategies and taking care of their mental health under stress.
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