Category Archives: Spirituality

Mrs. New’s Tattoo

Posted on February 8, 2021 by Rhonda Shapiro-Rieser
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I remember the first time I really saw the numbers tattooed on Mrs. New’s arm. I had seen them before, but by 11 years old, I knew enough to really see them.  I remember a 2 and a long chain … Continue reading →

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A Reflection

Posted on December 9, 2020 by Matilda Cantwell
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The Place Where We Are Right by Yehuda Amichai From the place where we are right Flowers will never grow In the spring. The place where we are right Is hard and trampled Like a yard. But doubts and loves … Continue reading →

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Memory and History

Posted on December 9, 2020 by Rhonda Shapiro-Rieser
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Memory and Historiography–the writing of history–are two forces that stand in opposition for the heart and soul of a people.  Of the two, memory has much more power than history.  I learned this from a small book I read in … Continue reading →

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Thankfulness as a Remedy for Change

Posted on October 13, 2020 by Kim Alston
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There is a popular saying in Islam that Muslims use in their everyday interactions to give thanks, praise and glory to God. Alhamdulillah is an Arabic phrase translated as All praises are due to Allah. Muslims use it to show … Continue reading →

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Ruth Bader Ginsberg, a Tzadik

Posted on October 5, 2020 by Rhonda Shapiro-Rieser
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After Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died, 11-year-old Micah Blay made a pilgrimage to the U.S. Supreme Court and blew the shofar for the hundreds of people gathered there. In keeping with Jewish custom, they laid small stones on the steps … Continue reading →

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CONVOCATION (Invocation) 2020, August 31, 2020

Posted on September 2, 2020 by Matilda Cantwell
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Smith College acknowledges and appreciates the fact that our College is built within the ancestral homelands of the Nonotuck peoples. We also recognize our present-day neighboring indigenous nations: the Nipmuc and the Wampanoag to the East, the Mohegan, Pequot, and … Continue reading →

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Understanding the Effects of Racial Trauma

Posted on July 23, 2020 by Kim Alston
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Racial Trauma for Blacks is a prevalent phenomenon that cannot be disputed yet it is so commonplace that it has been normalized. Every day the U.S. global majority (an alternative term for people of color) face the damaging effects of … Continue reading →

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Why Now, and What Now? A Theological Reflection on the Fire of the Current Moment

Posted on July 23, 2020 by Matilda Cantwell
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Why Now, and What Now? A Theological Reflection on the Fire of the Current Moment “If not us, then who? If not now, then when?” –John Lewis God gave Noah the rainbow sign ‘No more water but fire next time. – … Continue reading →

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People of the Mask

Posted on July 23, 2020 by Rhonda Shapiro-Rieser
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My son is now a project manager for a large hospital system.  Two weeks ago, he took on the task of getting remote communications and monitoring programs into ICUs  so nurses could monitor Covid-19 patients without having to always enter … Continue reading →

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A Revolution of Rest: A Case For ‘Radical Renewal’

Posted on July 23, 2020 by Kim Alston
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While I was brainstorming for this piece I found myself struggling to formulate something that hasn’t already been said about this moment of absolute turmoil. At first, I aimed to express something  profound, original… politically galvanizing even. But quite quickly, … Continue reading →

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