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.
In my New Jersey hometown, I was always surrounded by Jewish family and neighbors, attended synagogue, and was Bat-mitzvahed. Now, I would say I have learned more about the values of being Jewish through the hearts of my friends and family than through prayer and observance.
Naturally, when I attended the Jizo statue-making event, I was a little nervous that I would feel out of place at a Buddhist event. However, this was far from the truth. I spoke with Sensei JoAnn Cooke, the Buddhist chaplain at Hendricks Chapel, who shared with me that her teacher, Singe Roshi, is Jewish and that people who practice Buddhism—especially in the United States—often come from other traditions.
When someone enters a temple, they bow to the spirit in their own hearts and then they remember that we are all essentially Buddhas.
Sensei JoAnn Cooke
“The Jizo statue represents an Enlightened being who comes back to Earth to help others, and is a protector of children, travelers, people in transition, and people who have passed away and are navigating the six worlds of Buddhism,” said Sensei JoAnn. “When someone enters a temple, they bow to the spirit in their own hearts and then they remember that we are all essentially Buddhas.”
At the event, I met Janna Vranken, the vice president of Buddhist Meditation Association at SU (BMA) who leads meditations at Hendricks Chapel weekly. I attended one of her sessions, which was a special experience because it was the first time I had ever meditated for longer than a few minutes.
The group sat in meditation for 15 minutes and then chatted about our experience. I became aware of physical feelings I had never noticed before: the tightness in my spine, tension in my jaw, and the irregularity of my breath. During the meditation, I was able to observe these sensations without judgement and discuss them openly.
Janna also told me about sound-bathing at the Barnes Center at the Arch. A sound bath is a meditative practice of listening to resonant sounds made by gongs and singing bowls, that create a relaxing atmosphere to reduce stress. I immediately signed up and invited my friend Maddie too!
During my experiences with Jizo statue-making, meditation, and sound-bathing, I realized something very important: it’s worthwhile to do things out of our comfort zone. I never thought that playing with clay for a few hours would lead me down this path of exploration, but I am so glad it did.
I believe Hendricks Chapel is an invaluable resource for student’s college experience that many do not take full advantage of. At Hendricks Chapel, we have the opportunity to engage with others and to build trust and understanding, because Hendricks Chapel isn’t just a place of prayer, but a place of community. It’s a place we can meet and learn from one another.
