The traditions of Easter, Passover, and Ramadan are spiritually significant holidays for Christians, Jews, and Muslims respectively across the globe and campus. Many Choate students who celebrate their faiths have attended events hosted by Spiritual Life to celebrate these holy days.
With the holidays in close proximity to each other in 2023, a rarity that occurs every 30 years or so, Reverend Aaron Rathbun, Choate’s Protestant Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Life, said, “The biggest hurdle was everything happening back-to-back right on top of each other this year. But, it’s always a joy to work along with others in making preparations, planning services, food arrangements, etc., especially when we work together across different religious faith traditions!”
On Easter Sunday, a holiday celebrated by many Christian students and faculty members, a service was held in the Seymour St. John Chapel. The service consisted of prayers, hymns, scripture readings, a homily by Reverend Rathbun, and a baptism service. Christopher Joseph ’25, an active member of Christian Fellowship and spiritual life at Choate, expressed gratitude for the service. He also praised Reverend Rathbun for his positive impact on spiritual life at Choate. Addressing the sermon Reverend Rathbun gave at the Sunday service, Joseph said, “He’s very relatable because he lives in the same place I do, has a similar schedule, and it’s easier for him to connect with the students … it’s a lot easier and it hits closer to home.”
In April, Jewish Choate community members also celebrated Passover. Rabbi Barbara Paris and Hillel, Choate’s Jewish student organization, hosted the annual Passover Seder in Sally Hart Lodge. The Seder is a meal that celebrates the first nights of Passover and commemorates the Jewish Exodus from Egypt. This year, over 40 Choate community members were in attendance.
The Seder was open to the entire Choate community, inviting not only those who are Jewish, but also those curious and open to learning about Jewish traditions to participate in the festivities. The celebration included singing, dancing, and eating special and sacred foods.
Hillel cabinet member Grace Walters ’24 appreciated that many of her friends attended the Seder with her. She said, “It was really great to help introduce them to this new culture, but also to have dinner with my friends, get dressed up, sing, and dance.”
Muslim students and faculty also celebrated Ramadan in April. Reverend Rathbun and Arabic teacher Mr. Yassine Benzinane helped organize the Eid al-Fitr meal that closes out the month-long Ramadan celebration, during which Muslims fast every day from dawn to dusk. About 40 community members enjoyed the last moments of daylight in Ramadan with each other in the Paul Mellon Arts Center and gathered together for the eagerly-awaited meal on April 20. The Middle Eastern and North African Club (MENA) set up a mehndi booth outside the dining hall, where club members drew henna tattoos for those passing by.
MENA Secretary Monicke Costa ’25 celebrated her second Eid at Choate this year. “We had ordered a large selection of Indian food from a local restaurant, invited different Muslim students from schools such as Yale, and gave a brief summary of what the month of Ramadan means to us Muslims,” she said, describing the Eid dinner at Choate. “After completing the challenging month of Ramadan, the opportunity to connect and share in this occasion was great.”
Looking forward, Spiritual Life is “working with students in the South Asian Student Association to support events like Holi” and has an “inter-faith alumni service planned for alumni weekend coming up,” said Reverend Rathbun.
Aside from celebrating religious holidays, many students at Choate are a part of spiritual life through Christian Fellowship, Hillel, Buddhist Meditation, or other campus groups.
Walters describes Hillel as “a very good place for students who maybe grew up Jewish and weren’t very religious, and came to Choate and wanted to reconnect with that and join Choate’s Jewish community.” To build that sense of community, Hillel worked closely with Rabbi Barbara to plan the Hanukkah party and Yom Kippur dinner in addition to Passover Seder this year.
While Joseph appreciates Christian Fellowship, he would appreciate a weekly worship service at Choate. “I would like to see more of an effort on the Christian scale because Christian Fellowship isn’t necessarily meant to replace your weekly Christian service, yet the only thing that’s here is Catholic Mass. So, I would appreciate a little more activities and planning, especially around Holy Week and Lent season,” he said.
“For folks who take spirituality seriously, it’s the fulcrum that helps us to navigate everything else in life all together,” said Reverend Rathbun. “This is why I’m grateful that Spiritual Life falls under our Equity & Inclusion umbrella, because it correctly acknowledges that this is a fundamental part of our identities, and as such, is extraordinarily important to nurture and take seriously.”
