Kaufman Updates
Permanent link for Finding Spaces of Unity in Times of Division | By Molly Schless, Vice President of the Interfaith Student Council on April 14, 2025
I have been in the interfaith world for about 6 years. What keeps me in this field is the various people I get to meet and learn from. Especially in the world today, there tends to be a "us vs them" mentality. If something is different or even just unknown, it is inherently bad. That is why it is more important than ever to seek spaces where others are willing to let go of any preconceived notions and - even if just for a few hours - remember that we are all human. This past month in March, I had the opportunity to enter two spaces of deep learning and even deeper intergrowth.
GVSU had its first ever Multicultural Night this year. The concept was based on Campus Life Night, an event that happens at the beginning of the year where students can come to see different student organizations offered on campus. Multicultural Night had a similar structure, but was different in the way that it intentionally created a space where people could learn about all the different cultures represented at GVSU. Every booth also had some sort of interactive component, as well. Sometimes that meant trying food from someone’s culture, engaging in an art project, or seeing visual representations. Throughout the night, various students got to see all the booths, participate in a craft, and meet each other. It was an amazing night of laughter, learning, and building connections. I represented Hillel, the Jewish student organization, along with three other members. I also got to represent the Interfaith Student Council, which is a new student organization this year that was founded to bring different students from religious, spiritual, and secular backgrounds together. The energy in the room was ecstatic, and it was so exciting to see fellow students not only willing but eager to learn about something so special to me: my Judaism. One of my favorite moments of the night came at the end when one of my fellow Hillel members had the biggest smile on her face, lighting up as she told me how much fun she had. Throughout the night, she had gotten to teach others about her culture and in return learn about theirs. This was a common theme I noticed throughout the whole event. People who might not even have met were now joking and exchanging contact info to stay connected. As someone who has gotten to experience the beauty of interfaith, it was uplifting for me to see others experience it for the first time. That night proved to me that others do want to make the world a better place and spaces like these are a good place to start.
The next event was Kaufman's yearly Rabbi Sigal Interfaith Leadership Lecture with Syda Taylor. I went into this space not knowing as much as I did about the Multicultural Night. The lecture ended up being an extremely meaningful and impactful space to be a part of. She spoke on unity in diversity, how much we can learn from each other, and how important it is to accept others for who they are. Throughout the lecture, I noticed the people around me were actively engaged in what she was saying . At one point, my neighbor even turned to me saying they had goosebumps. I had a very similar experience, finding myself being more and more moved as she continued to speak. What made this lecture different for me than any other that I had attended before was the importance and relevance of this kind of conversation. It was one of positivity and acceptance in a world where every time you turn on the news, a story of division is in the headlines. Something else that I appreciate about Syda herself is her ability to be authentic and genuine. A lot of past lectures I have attended, especially in the college setting, have been filled with facts and academic language. Although there is value in using both of those tactics for me, I found it refreshing to hear the personal stories and experiences Syda integrated into her lecture. I felt as though it allowed me to have a deeper understanding of the messages she was trying to get across. The main thing I learned from this lecture was that you can focus on everything bad that is going on around you, but if you look for it you will find the good in anything.
Overall, both of these spaces filled me with so much energy and inspiration. This year has brought a lot of ups and downs, but coming to events such as Multicultural Night or Syda’s lecture brought me so much joy. I plan to continue to seek and engage with spaces that find unity in times of division.
Molly Schless
Molly asking a question at Syda's lecture
Molly, Chloe, and Liz setting up at Multicultural Night