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How Hendricks Chapel Became My Home Away from Home

By Asil Bascal ’25

When I first started school at Syracuse University, I remember wandering around campus alone, just after my dad dropped me off. I stared down at my phone following Google Maps as I nervously made my way to Hendricks Chapel, searching for the pre-welcome event for Muslim students. That week I met some of my closest friends, and after only a short time, I felt like maybe college wouldn’t be so intimidating after all. 

Asil and her current communications colleagues,
Michela Wallach ’27 and Lucy Gonzalez ’27.
Asil poses with her original communications colleagues,
Fe Kligerman ’26 and Micah Greenberg ’26.

Over time, I became more involved with the Muslim Students Association (MSA), eventually joining the executive board (e-board) as social media strategist. What began as a side commitment quickly became a defining part of my college experience, and I remained on e-board for the next three years. One afternoon, after spending time in the Muslim prayer room, I wandered over to People’s Place Café, which is also located on the lower level of Hendricks Chapel, and loved it so much that I decided to apply for a job. That little café became a cornerstone of my routine and a space where I queued up playlists and shared laughs with friends. 

Through my work with MSA and my constant presence in Hendricks, I met Dara Harper, whose warm energy and encouragement introduced me to the Communications Associate role. That opportunity helped me grow professionally and uncover talents I may never have explored as a pre-med biotechnology student. 

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Donor helps Hendricks Chapel support Syracuse University’s Student Veterans

by Dara Harper 

Behind some of Hendricks Chapel’s most impactful student veteran support programs lies a generous donor. As a Syracuse University alumna and parent of a U.S. military veteran, the donor – who asked to remain anonymous for this story – became keenly aware of the challenges facing military service members, particularly those who attend university after military service. This personal family connection has led the donor to spark and sustain support for various initiatives through Hendricks Chapel in partnership with the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) and The David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. These programs include the Student Veteran Support Fund, the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs Resiliency Program and the Moral Injury Project. 

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My Experience: Making Jizo statues at Hendricks Chapel

by Michela Wallach ’27

When I began working at Hendricks Chapel as a Communications Associate, I wasn’t sure what the job would entail. I thought I would be doing the mundane tasks of a traditional office job, but my experiences thus far tell a different story. I’ve attended the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration and engaged with the Syracuse University community in simple, yet rewarding ways like handing out frisbees to students and tabling at events.  

This past month, Dara Harper, the head of communications at Hendricks Chapel, asked me to write a story about the Jizo statue-making event sponsored by Hendricks Chapel’s Buddhist Chaplaincy. As a secular Jew myself, I have never felt strongly connected to religion in the “religious” sense, but more so to the community and cultural aspects.  

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Hillel International Honors Syracuse Hillel with Excellence Award

World’s largest Jewish college organization convened campus leaders, for the 2024 Global Assembly, recognized extraordinary leadership efforts.

Hillel International, the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, honored outstanding Hillel professionals and campus Hillels for their exemplary efforts in supporting Jewish students at colleges and universities. The awards were presented during the 2024 Hillel International Global Assembly (HIGA), an annual gathering of Hillel professionals from around the world. 

Hillel International awarded Syracuse Hillel with an Excellence Award, which celebrates success achieved in a specific area of Hillel work, whether through the strengthening of a local relationship or the creation and solidification of new or existing relationships.

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Photo Gallery: Holidays at Hendricks 2024

An ongoing tradition hosted by Hendricks Chapel and the Setnor School of Music in the College of Visual and Performing Arts of Syracuse University, “Holidays at Hendricks” celebrates the sounds of the season and is anchored by the Hendricks Chapel Choir and its director José “Peppie” Calvar, professor of applied music and performance and assistant director of choral activities in the Setnor School.

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Rabbi Ethan Bair and Imam Amir Durić receive national recognition as Interfaith America Innovation Fellows

By Dara Harper

Rabbi Ethan Bair and Imam Amir Durić, chaplains at Hendricks Chapel, model how friendship and understanding can transcend and transform adversity. Through the Jewish-Muslim Dialogue Fellowship they co-founded, Bair and Durić have helped the Syracuse University campus community unlock the potential of religious and spiritual diversity, and their shared efforts are receiving national recognition.

Each year, Interfaith America, founded by Eboo Patel and known as one of the nation’s premier interfaith organizations, chooses exemplary leaders as Interfaith Innovation Fellows. Out of over 200 applicants across the country, both Durić and Bair were chosen. The Fellowship awards grant funding to leaders with an inspirational vision for social change. Durić and Bair will network with cohort members, learn from one another’s projects, participate in a retreat geared toward professional development, and work with mentors at Interfaith America. Along with Durić and Bair, nine other Fellows representing various worldviews and projects were also named as Fellows.

After Bair and Durić first met at a Hendricks Chapel retreat in 2022, they perceived potential not just for their friendship but for the opportunities to continue the interfaith work they both valued. “Interfaith work has always been a priority for me,” said Bair. “Amir and I really only knew each other for a year before we created this Jewish-Muslim Dialogue Fellowship and applied for our first grant from Interfaith America. I’ve been an ordained rabbi for 15 years and have dedicated myself to interfaith work in every position I’ve held. What’s new is being able to work with an ordained Muslim imam who shares so many of my values. That is a blessing.”

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