The foliage is a special time of year in the cycle of life. Some people view it as a time of loss while others see it as a profound time of beauty in nature. This picture of Paradise Pond on the Smith campus was taken in mid-October when Autumn colors are rich and vibrant. Paradise Pond and the Mill River trails bring memories of nostalgia to students, thoughts of joy and moments of happiness! - Photo by Sis Kim

Religious and Spiritual Traditions and Civic Engagement


“Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile,

and pray to the Lord on its behalf, 

for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” Jeremiah 29:7


There was often little difference between religion and government in most places until the Enlightenment. The monarch directly or symbolically led the religion or sometimes the religious leader led the government. In some countries, there is still a blending of religion and government in some form. Part of what changed during the Enlightenment is the start of what we would now call secular government. This allows for religions to engage with civic society through official representatives or as individual adherents. The nature of community engagement encouraged by religious traditions vary greatly based on the type of political system and whether a particular tradition is a religious majority or minority.


Still, many traditions at their core espouse a version of the Golden Rule to act towards others as you would expect to be treated.


For almost two thousand years, Judaism was a religion and culture that always lived as a minority within larger groups (the vast majority of Jews lived in Christian Europe or under Muslim rule in the Middle Ages). Judaism post-biblical texts beginning with the Mishnah are all written under the rule of other political and religious systems with uneven balance of power. Engagement with the majority was important, ever-present, but often perilous. This often lends texts a more contingent nature than they might otherwise have in a different context. In Pirkei Avot, the Sage Hillel the Elder offers a powerful saying that gets to the heart of the complicated balance: "If I am not for me, who will be for me? And when I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?" (Mishnah, Ethics of the Ancestors 1, 14)


Sister Kim Alston also offers reflections on the importance of community engagement in Islam including a hadith of Prophet Muhammad (SAW): "Muslims are taught to visit the sick, give back in regular charity, and make the masjid a community center for upliftment. Charity is one of the five principles of Islam. It is not just monetary, but good deeds are considered an essential form of charity. In fact, no charity is too small and all charity will be rewarded. A smile is considered a charity. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) gives important guidance around community engagement. One hadith (saying) states: 'The most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to people. The most beloved deed to Allah is to make a Muslim happy, or remove one of his troubles, or forgive his debt, or feed his hunger…”’ -Al-Mu’jam al-Awsat lil-Tabarani 6026


We look forward to continuing to examine Civic Engagement at our next Generating Justice and Joy program. Bring a friend as we build community around reflection, discussion, and action.


By Rabbi Bruce Bromberg-Seltzer, Jewish Student Advisor in the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life

Generating Justice & Joy (GJJ) is a community gathering program sponsored by the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life (CRSL) in collaboration with students and other Smith departments. GJJ is a gathering in recognition that we all need a place to share concerns and learn what is on the hearts of our fellow community members. We gather with the understanding that gathering in solidarity is an active—not passive—activity, and that doing so can elicit joy, and joy inspires us toward connection, justice, and hope.


Join us on the steps of the Campus Center (also known as Chapin Deck) on November 19, 6 pm, for a short reflection led by Reverend Matilda Rose Cantwell, College Chaplain, and then back to the Helen Hills Hills Chapel for the program. The start time of the first part of the program is at 6 pm, dinner and program at 6:30 pm, program end time is 7:30 pm.


To vigil is to stay awake. The Latin root of the word, vigilare, means to “stay vigilant” and to pay attention. Vigils are public expressions of shared concerns, wherein a community to mourn together, to express collective shock and outrage together, to bear witness to things that matter, so these things - and the people these things affect- are not forgotten. Whether held in silence, singing, dance, or stillness, vigils prepare our hearts to take the next step.


Since 2016, the CRSL has led a regular GJJ vigil, held this year on the third Thursday of each month, to serve as a container for concerns and griefs and hopes—institutional, social, structural, and global. We began holding these because of the many disruptive events that affect members of our community. The ubiquitous climate disasters, state-sponsored violence, structural violence, and hate crimes are made visible to us day in and day out.

 

GJJ is also a place for the personal hopes and fears on our hearts. We may have lost someone, we may have gone through a breakup, or we may be struggling with something that affects our community at home or elsewhere. After the candlelight vigil, at which the chaplain or another campus leader offers some words, attendees are welcomed back to the Helen Hills Hills Chapel for a program, which will consist of a warm meal (we will have food for 30) and more personal dialogue, using a model drawn from Loretta Ross’s 5 Cs human rights framework or something similar. There are no grades, no evaluations, and no work or assignments—just, if useful, a small action toward justice and joy that the evening may have inspired.

Generating Justice and Joy

Vigil & Discussion: Civic Engagement

Thursday, Nov. 19, 2026

6:00 – 7:30 pm


CRSL invites you to Generating Justice & Joy. Vigil on Chapin Deck followed by discussion in Helen Hills Hills Chapel Bodman Lounge. Light dinner will be served. All are welcome! For more information scan the QR code on the flyer.



Sponsored by the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life

Cromwell Day

Building Community Through Solidarity


Plenary Speaker Alaina E. Roberts

Alaina E. Roberts, PhD., is a associate professor of history at the University of Pittsburgh and the award-winning author of "I've Been Here All the While: Black Freedom on Native Land."


Tuesday, November 10, 10 a.m., John M. Greene Hall


This event is free and wheelchair accessible. For disability access information or accommodations requests, please contact the Office for Equity and Inclusion at 413-585-2141. To request a sign language interpreter, send an email to arc@smith.edu at least 10 days before the event.

What is Cromwell Day?


Cromwell Day is a meaningful opportunity for the Smith Community to reflect on issues of diversity, anti-racism, and equity while honoring a trailblazing family legacy. It will take place on November 10, 2026.


Who Were the Cromwells?


Cromwell Day commemorates Otelia Cromwell (Class of 1900), the first Black graduate of Smith College, who went on to earn a doctorate from Yale and lead an influential career as an educator and scholar. It also honors her niece, Adelaide Cromwell ’40, Smith’s first Black faculty member and a pioneer in African American studies (depicted in photo above.) During her lifetime, Adelaide frequently attended Cromwell Day as a tribute to her "Aunt Tee" and their family’s enduring commitment to education and justice.


Family Legacy & Genealogical History


Today, members of the McGuinn and Cromwell family continue this tradition of connection with Smith. This year, we are honored to welcome Anna Davis, Otelia's first cousin once removed and Adelaide’s second cousin once removed; and the great-niece of Lucy (McGuinn) Cromwell (Otelia's mother). Anna (pictured on the right) and her sister Mary Lightfoot stand in front of Otelia's graduation picture. They have dedicated years to preserving the family’s heritage through extensive genealogical research.


Schedule Highlights & Keynote


Join us at the plenary session to hear keynote speaker Professor Alaina Roberts, whose research focuses on the intersection of Black and Native American history from the nineteenth century to the modern day. Throughout the day, community members can participate in workshops and special events, including a presentation by Anna Davis during an exhibition of the Cromwell Family Papers:


  • Presentation: Remarks on McGuinn/Cromwell family history by Anna Davis
  • Time: 2:00 PM
  • Location: Neilson Library Special Collections, 3rd Floor


All students, faculty, and staff are warmly encouraged to attend and celebrate this foundational part of Smith's history. For complete details about this year's Cromwell Day, click here.

What Does It Mean to Hear History from Someone Who Lived It?


On November 17 and 18, students and families in Western Massachusetts will have a rare opportunity to hear directly from Holocaust survivor Sora Vigorito, one of the few remaining survivors of the horrific medical experiments conducted by Nazi physician Josef Mengele at Auschwitz-Birkenau. (Sora talks with students at a holocaust event in Florida.) Photo by The Independent Florida Alligator.


The Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts invites you to share this extraordinary educational opportunity with school communities and encourage middle and high school students and their families to attend.


An Evening of Remembrances: Returning to the Garden with Sora Vigorito


As a young child, Sora and her identical twin sister were imprisoned at Auschwitz and subjected to Mengele's brutal experiments. Her sister did not survive. Sora's firsthand testimony recounts not only the unimaginable cruelty she endured, but also her remarkable journey of resilience, healing, and rediscovering hope and faith.

Her message is profoundly relevant to young people today: the importance of overcoming adversity, embracing tolerance, recognizing the humanity in others, and refusing to allow hatred and evil to have the final word.


This program offers a meaningful complement to classroom learning across multiple disciplines. Whether you are studying the Holocaust in history, exploring prejudice and human behavior in sociology, examining moral responsibility and differences in your coursework, or engaging with themes of persecution, identity, and resilience through literature, hearing a survivor's personal testimony can make these lessons immediate and deeply human.


At a time when firsthand opportunities to hear Holocaust survivors are becoming increasingly rare, this is a chance for students to connect historical events with the lives, choices, and responsibilities of people today.


Event details:

Tuesday, November 17, 2026, 7:00–9:00 p.m.

Academy of Music, 274 Main Street, Northampton

Admission is free, but for security considerations, registration is requested.


The Center for Religious and Spiritual Life offers students an opportunity to attend this program as a group. To RSVP for the event, complete this form. For more information, contact bbrombergseltzer@smith.edu.

Mindful Mondays

with Facilitator Em Freedman '24

Mondays 12:15 - 1 P.M.

Campus Center 205


If you are looking for a place to make connections and practice tools for awareness and self-acceptance, come join Mindful Mondays! With light meditation, embodiment practice, and discussion, we make a space that encourages healing and community. A light lunch is provided. Scan QR code image to add to your calendar. Contact crsl@smith.edu with questions. Sponsored by the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life.

Soup, Salad & Soul

Every Friday

12:15 - 1:00 P.M.

Bodman Lounge

Helen Hills Hills Chapel


Enjoy a delicious vegetarian soup, salad, and desserts (made by student cooks) and take part in reflective, student-led discussions on spirituality, life, and more! All religious, spiritual, non-religious, and non-spiritual backgrounds are welcome! Scan QR code image to add to your calendar. For details on food and other general accessibility questions, email crsl@smith.edu. Sponsored by the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life.

Buddhist Sangha

Thursdays, 7 - 8 P.M.

12:15 - 1:00 P.M.

Helen Hills Hills Sanctuary


Join us for Buddhist meditation and peer-led discussion for students, faculty and staff, sponsored by the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life at Smith. On Sundays, 10 - 11 A.M. (for students only). All backgrounds and experience levels are welcome! Scan QR code below to join our Whatsapp or email amarr@smith.edu.

Diwali: Festival of Lights and Prosperity

Sunday, November 8, 7:00 - 8:00 pm

Helen Hills Hills Chapel, Bodman Lounge


Puja followed by a catered dinner, all are welcome!

South Asian attire encouraged! Sponsored by the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life. For more information, contact Maureen Raucher at mraucher@smith.edu

Diwali (or Deepavali), known as the Festival of Lights, is a multi-day celebration that symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. It is celebrated by over a billion people across Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism. Smithies enjoy this celebratory observance! 

Song Circle

Monday, November 16

7 - 8 pm

Helen Hills Hills Chapel

Bodman Lounge


Join us to learn and share new songs. Bring voices or instruments. All voices welcome! No musical experience needed. This is a joyful and inclusive space for all people and voices. We will teach all the songs before singing them and written lyrics will be provided. This is an opportunity to come together in community and in song, and to co-create a sacred space to unwind and re-center. Some songs will be led by Hannah D'Alessandro, and there will also be lots of time for others to offer and teach their own songs.


Hannah is a graduate student at the Harvard Divinity School and an intern in Smith’s CRSL this year. For more information contact hannahdalessandro@hds.harvard.edu.

Meeting Our Perfectionism

Sunday, 11/15

11-5 pm

MacLeish Field Station


The Smith Buddhist Sangha, the Wurtele Center, and the Jandon Center are excited to welcome James Underberg, teacher of contemplative discernment, for a daylong retreat of reflection, exploration, meditation, and dialogue. Open to 5C students, faculty, and staff! All experience levels welcome. Scan sign up link to RSVP.

Co-sponsored by the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life. For more information contact Em Freedman at emmarosefreedman@gmail.com.

Umoja Alliance Meeting

Wednesday, November 18, 12:15 - 1 P.M.

RRR Lounge, Helen Hills Hills Chapel


Interested in spiritual life at Smith as a person of color? Join us! Our mission is to provide a safe space for Black students to gather and engage in open conversation about their spiritual journeys, as well as, create more opportunities for Black students to express their spirituality in various forms. All are welcome. A light lunch will be served. Black voices will be centered. Sponsored by the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life. Fore more information contact Sis Kim at kalston@smith.edu.

Catholic Mass

Helen Hills Hills Chapel

November 8, 15, 22

December 13


A Time for Faith & Fellowship. All are welcome to join members of the

Newman Catholic Club and Fr. Valentine Nworah to celebrate Mass on the

above Sundays at 3 pm.


Fall Semester Special Events Include:

November 22 - Thanksgiving program

December 13 - Christmas party


For more opportunities to be involved in Catholic Life at Smith, contact catholicclub@smith.edu. Scan bar code to add Mass to your schedule. Sponsored by the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life. Scan the QR code below to add the event to your calendar, follow on Instagram or join the Club. Contact catholicc@smith.edu with questions.

Listening Session for Muslim Students

with Alex Keller, V.P. for Campus Life and

ej seibert, V.P. for Equity and Inclusion

November 11, 5:15 - 6:45 P.M.

KMH 201


We invite you to share your past and current experiences of being Muslim at Smith, as well as hopes and vision for the future. Food will be provided. All are welcome. To request accommodations, please contact oei@smith.edu. To request a sign language interpreter please contact arc@smith.edu at least two weeks before the event.

Jumu’ah Mubarak!

Fridays, 12:30 p.m.

 

Jumu'ah is the most sacred day of the week for Muslims. Join us for Salat al-Jumu'ah! CRSL provides transportation from the Helen Hills Hills Chapel and students return to campus no later than 2:30 pm. To attend email at crsl@smith.edu!  All are welcome! 

 

"The (blessing) from the Presence of Allah is better than any amusement or bargain! And Allah is the Best to provide (for all needs)." - Al Jumu'ah 62:11  

SCJC Shabbat

Fridays, 5:30 P.M.

Kosher Kitchen

(adjacent to Jordan House)


Celebrate Shabbat with the Smith College Jewish Community. Services are Fridays at 5:30 P.M. and dinner starts at 6:45 P.M. - come for either or both. Located at the "K," the Kosher Kitchen, attached to Jordan House. All are welcome! For More information, contact SCJC@smith.edu. Sponsored by the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life.

Tzedek Tirdof Shabbat

Fridays, 5:30 P.M.

Bodman Lounge, Chapel


Join Tzedek Tirdof Liberation-oriented Jewish community.

. Weekly Shabbat and Havdalah Rituals

. Community Learning

. Connect with Western, MA Community

. Religious and Cultural Events


Shabbat Meeting Time: Friday 5:30 P.M.

Havdalah Meeting Time: Saturday 6 P.M.


Scan the QR Code image to fill out the Interest Form!

Or Contact djordan@smith.edu. Sponsored by

Smith College Center for Religious and Spiritual Life

Navigating Real Life Lessons: Tawakkul

Thursday, November 5

6 - 7:30 pm

Bodman Lounge

Helen Hills Hills Chapel



Trust, Surrender and Wisdom: Understanding Reliance on the Divine while offering our best efforts – sharing stories, reflection, and lessons learned this fall. Join Sis Kim, Muslim Student Advisor.



A conversation for Religious, non-religious, curious, and/or interested students. All are welcome! Light dinner will be served. Sponsored by the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life.  


Otelia Cromwell championed education

as a primary tool for empowerment,

creating pathways for equity and scholarship throughout her life.


"In 1932, Aunt Tee was invited

to be a member of the board of directors of

The Encyclopedia of the Negro, under the chairmanship of Anson Phelps Stokes. The board had 19 members, including W.E.B. Dubois."


― My Mothering Aunt: Otelia Cromwell by Adelaide Cromwell


Several complimentary copies of the book will be available at the

Cromwell Family Papers Exhibition on Cromwell Day, November 10.
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Smith College | Center for Religious and Spiritual Life Helen Hills Hills Chapel | Northampton, MA 01063 US

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