Interfaith Exploration Week

Hendricks Chapel of Syracuse University is celebrating religious and spiritual diversity and inclusion through Interfaith Exploration Week from Feb. 1-6, 2026. All students, faculty, and staff are invited to participate in a series of gatherings that provide an opportunity to learn about diverse religious and spiritual traditions, rediscover familiar traditions, and build relationships and understanding across barriers. Hosted by the Chaplains of Hendricks Chapel, participants can attend Jumuah prayer, a Buddhist meditation, Catholic Mass, Shabbat dinner and more.

Interfaith Exploration Week Schedule 2026

Sunday, Feb. 1

11 AM-12 PM
Campus Church
Hendricks Chapel
For more info, visit the Christian Protestant Chaplaincy—Non-Denominational web page.

1 PM-2 PM
Sunday Catholic Mass
Hendricks Chapel
For more information, visit Catholic Chaplaincy’s web page.

2 PM-5 PM
Interfaith Day of Service & Learning: Card Making and Lunch
Noble Room
Enjoy a guided interfaith conversation focused on the blessing of health, compassion, care, and shared values across belief traditions, followed by a hands-on service activity of crafting uplifting cards and notes for hospitalized children, offering encouragement and connection to young patients in need of support.

4 PM-5 PM
Let’s Sing!: Hymn and Anthem Sing
Hendricks Chapel
For more information, visit the Malmgren web page.

6:30 PM-8 PM
Historically Black Church Service
Hendricks Chapel
For more info, visit the Historically Black Church web page.

Monday, Feb. 2

9:30-10:30 AM
Buddhist Meditation
Small Chapel
For more information, visit the Buddhist Chaplaincy’s web page.

12 PM
Lunch & Learn: A Conversation About Purpose & Meaning
Noble Room
Join Staff & Faculty for lunch and an encouraging discussion about purpose and meaning. Staff, faculty, and Hendricks Chapel chaplains will provide discussion prompts about how your purpose and meaning shape your work on campus.
For SU and SUNY-ESF Faculty & Staff
A partnership between Hendricks Chapel and Wellness at SU
REGISTER HERE!

4-5 PM
Buddhist Meditation
Small Chapel
For more information, visit the Buddhist Chaplaincy’s web page.

5:15- 8 PM
Tubishvat: The Jewish Birthday for the Trees
Come Celebrate Tubishvat (Jewish Birthday for the Trees!) with a mystical fruit experience, seed planting, a tour of the tropical greenhouse forest atop Illick Hall, and free-tree giveaway! Please contact Rabbi Natan Levy for questions and further information mlevy12@syr.edu.
REGISTER HERE!

6:30 PM-8 PM
Buddhist Sangha Meeting & Dinner
Chaplains’ Suite
For more information, visit the Buddhist Chaplaincy’s web page.

Tuesday, Feb. 3

9:15-10:15 AM
Buddhist Meditation
Small Chapel
For more information, visit the Buddhist Chaplaincy’s web page.

11 AM-12 PM
Buddhist Meditation
Small Chapel
For more information, visit the Buddhist Chaplaincy’s web page.

2-4 PM
Drop-in Office Hours with Father Gerry Waterman
Small Chapel
For more information, visit Catholic Chaplaincy’s web page.

6 PM-7:30 PM
Global Interfaith Leadership Project: Meet & Greet
Noble Room
For more information, visit the Global Interfaith Leadership Project web page.

6-7:30 PM
Orthodox Christian Fellowship Meeting
Strates Room
For more information, visit the Orthodox Christian Fellowship web page.

Wednesday, Feb. 4

11 AM-12 PM
Buddhist Meditation
Small Chapel
For more information, visit the Buddhist Chaplaincy’s web page.

12-1:30 PM
Chinese Christian Fellowship
Noble Room
For more information, visit the Chinese Christian Fellowship’s web page.

12-2 PM
Mustard Seed Fellowship
Strates Room
For more info, visit the Mustard Seed Fellowship’s web page.

12:10-12:30 PM
Wednesday Catholic Mass
Hendricks Chapel
For more information, visit Catholic Chaplaincy’s web page.

2-4 PM
Drop-in Office Hours with Rev. Devon Bartholomew
Chaplains’ Suite
For more info, visit the Christian Protestant Chaplaincy—Non-Denominational web page.

5-7 PM
Drop-in Office Hours with Rev. Rhoda Barron
Chaplains’ Suite
For more info, visit the Historically Black Church web page.

5:30-7:30 PM
Hendricks Chapel
Interfaith Exploration Panel
Join Hendricks Chapel’s Sensei JoAnn Cooke, Rev. Devon Bartholomew, Imam Hamza Gürsoy, Rabbi Natan Levy, and guest speaker and moderator Rev. Dr. Julio Vargas-Vidal for a panel exploring different faiths. Rev. Dr. Vargas-Vidal has decades of experience in multifaith advocacy through his service as a United States Army Chaplain, where he promotes sensitive and inclusive ministry.

5:30-8:00 PM
“Bridge” Weekly Worship and Dinner
Noble Room
For more information, visit the Christian Protestant Chaplaincy—Evangelical web page.

Thursday, Feb. 5

11 AM-12 PM
Buddhist Meditation
Small Chapel
For more information, visit the Buddhist Chaplaincy’s web page.

12-1:30 PM
“Bridge” Friendship Luncheon
Noble Room
For more information, visit the Christian Protestant Chaplaincy—Evangelical web page.

1-2 PM
Buddhist Meditation
Small Chapel
For more information, visit the Buddhist Chaplaincy’s web page.

2-4 PM
Drop-in Office Hours with Rev. Devon Bartholomew
Chaplains’ Suite
For more info, visit the Christian Protestant Chaplaincy—Non-Denominational web page.

2-4 PM
Drop-in Office Hours with Father Gerry Waterman
Small Chapel
For more information, visit Catholic Chaplaincy’s web page.

5-7 PM
Hendricks Chapel
We Remember: Faith, Failure, and the Moral Reckoning with Antisemitism
Guest speaker: Brendan Murphy
This lecture examines the historical roots and enduring consequences of antisemitism, with particular attention to the development of Christian anti-Judaism and its theological, cultural, and social impacts across centuries. The lecture traces how inherited teachings, misinterpretations of scripture, and institutional practices contributed to hostility toward Jews in Europe and beyond, culminating in the catastrophe of the Holocaust. Special focus is given to Nostra Aetate (1965) as a transformative moment in Christian theology—one that repudiated antisemitism, rejected collective Jewish guilt, and reshaped Catholic–Jewish relations. Through historical analysis and moral reflection, participants are invited to consider what remembrance demands of us today and how confronting this past is essential for building a more just and humane future.

Brendan Murphy is a Catholic educator and the founder and director of the Bearing Witness Institute, an educational initiative dedicated to Holocaust education, the study of antisemitism, and interreligious dialogue. He teaches Holocaust studies and has led students and educators on intensive study programs in Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic examining the history and moral legacy of the Holocaust. Murphy works closely with Jewish, Christian, and Muslim partners to foster meaningful encounters grounded in historical truth, human dignity, and moral responsibility. His work is particularly focused on helping Christian communities grapple honestly with the legacy of Christian anti-Judaism and the theological significance of Nostra Aetate for contemporary faith and public life.

7-8 PM
Graduate Christian Fellowship Meeting
Hendricks Chapel, Chaplains’ Suite
For more info, visit the Graduate Christian Fellowship web page.

Friday, Feb. 6

8:30-9:30 AM
Buddhist Meditation
Small Chapel
For more information, visit the Buddhist Chaplaincy’s web page.

12 PM-1PM
Buddhist Meditation
Small Chapel
For more information, visit the Buddhist Chaplaincy’s web page.

12:45-1 PM
Pre-Jumuah Qur’an recitation
Hendricks Chapel
For more information, visit the Muslim Chaplaincy web page.

1-1:40 PM
Jumuah Prayer & Luncheon
Hendricks Chapel
For more information, visit the Muslim Chaplaincy web page.

4:30-5:30 PM
Buddhist Walking Meditation
Meet behind Centennial Hall on the ESF campus.
For more information, visit the Buddhist Chaplaincy’s web page.

5-7 PM
Half of Deen: The Islamic Marriage Conference
Contact Imam Hamza Gürsoy for more information: mhgursoy@syr.edu

In the modern era, Muslim youth face difficulties in having marriages conform to religion and the Sunnah, that the fundamental and ideal aspects are forgotten, or that they cannot get answers to serious questions regarding their application, thus creating a serious social problem. This session includes presentations on topics such as Marriage according to the Quran, the Prophet’s (saw) Marriage, Ideal Marriage with Hadiths, Women in Marriage and Family according to Islam, Ideal Islamic Marriage in the Modern Era, etc.

The panelists:
Dr. Ahmet Celik
Chaplain Numan Ali Dugmeoglu
Imam Muris Neimarlija
Sister Fatma Çelik
Sister Afnan Abusheikha

6-8 PM
Shabbat for All
6pm Prayer Services
7pm Festive Shabbat Dinner
All students are invited to the Winnick Hillel Center for Jewish Life for a welcoming Friday night sabbath with prayer, song, and dinner. No previous experience required. Register in advance. https://forms.gle/nX8vYcc3DzdTaR8u7 . Please contact Rabbi Natan Levy (mlevy12@syr.edu) or 224.616.6541 with questions.

7-8 PM
Coptic Orthodox Christian Fellowship
Huntington Beard Crouse, Room 204
For more info, visit the Coptic Orthodox Christian Fellowship web page.

Seven Reasons to Attend Interfaith Exploration Week:

Learn about other faith communities. You may have a Jewish friend who you met in the residence hall, but you don’t know a great deal about Judaism. Interfaith Exploration Week is a ideal time to learn about your friends and their beliefs.
Deepen your sense of religious and spiritual diversity. If you have been raised in a particular faith community, attending university may be the first time you’ve met Buddhists, Muslims, Baptists, etc. One of the best ways to create understanding is to observe another’s practice.
Find your own community of faith. Leaving home also means leaving your home place of worship. Finding a faith community at school can offer a home away from home. Additionally, you may find yourself ready to create new opportunities as you expand your center of understanding.
Have Fun! It’s just fun to be with new people in new places!
Meet the chaplains. Did you know that our chaplains are confidential resources? If you are in crisis or just need someone to talk to, you can meet with any of our chaplains. Each chaplain is here to support our entire student body, regardless of your spiritual, religious, or non-religious practice.
Make friends! In these programs, you will meet new people. Perhaps you’ve seen them in your residence hall or in class but have never had a chance to connect. Now you’ll have an experience in common!
Hendricks Chapel is a “home for all faiths and a place all people.” With 15 chaplains and more than 25 student and religious groups, Hendricks Chapel celebrates and observes many traditions. At Interfaith Exploration Week events, you can ask questions, learn, and experience concepts new to you!

“Interfaith Exploration Week is an opportunity to create and sustain curiosity, understanding and expression,” said Brian Konkol, dean of Hendricks Chapel. “We hope that all participants can learn about others, and also learn about themselves, all in service to our common good.”

Interfaith Exploration Week is organized by the Student Assembly of Interfaith Leaders (SAIL), chaplains, religious and spiritual life group advisors, and the staff of Hendricks Chapel.

To learn more about Interfaith Exploration Week, call us at email 315.443.2901 or email chapel@syr.edu.