Even though social gatherings are limited because of the pandemic, faith groups are finding ways to keep the normalcy within their houses of worship. // Photo courtesy of Sarah Graziano.
Despite the challenges brought on by COVID-19, Hofstra’s Interfaith Center is staying connected with members of its organizations virtually. The Newman Club, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Hofstra Hillel and the Muslim Student Association still meet over Zoom every week.
Even though weekly Mass has been put on hold, the Newman Club is finding creative ways to help members of Hofstra’s Catholic community grow closer together.
On Saturday, Sept. 26, the group hosted a virtual walkathon to fundraise for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
“Since it was a virtual walk all of the members were able to walk at their own pace wherever they wanted,” said Alyssa Crowley, a sophomore neuroscience major and community service chair for the Newman Club. “We were able to reach people from all over because it was online, and we were able to raise over $500.”
Father Sean Magaldi, the vocations director for the Diocese of Rockville Center and the Catholic chaplain at Hofstra University, said that despite the limitations, he is appreciative of what the University is doing to keep everyone safe.
“Being able to work as a priest becomes more difficult with the restrictions put in place,” Magaldi said. “We have a need for creativity. I don’t doubt that God is still working.
Instead of waiting for in-person events to happen again, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship is turning to social media to increase their organization’s outreach.
Recruiting new members can be challenging in an online setting. However, some student leaders believe this pandemic has been a learning experience.
“We’re still seeing people check us out through GetInvolvedHU and have participated in virtual club fair events,” said Lauren Samuel, a senior community health major and president of Hofstra’s Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. “Although it’s a really hard time for people, we’re almost more on-mission and we’re more focused on sharing the love of God with every single person.”
The group holds biweekly prayer groups, joint Bible studies with New Jersey and New York chapters, large group worship nights and a freshman group, as well as weekend interactive games.
Hofstra Hillel’s programs consist of online classes taught through the Jewish Learning Fellowship, Shabbat dinners, open lounge hours and “Hillel at Home” videos, where guest speakers and celebrities talk about important issues. “Full House” actress Jodie Sweetin made an appearance to discuss raising a Jewish daughter, as did activist Ofer Erez, who addressed the challenges the LGBTQ+ community is facing in Israel.
“The biggest thing about the pandemic is that it forced us to think about how we work as a community in different ways,” said Rabbi Dave Siegel, executive director of Hofstra Hillel.
Even though Hillel has hosted several virtual events, some people believe it is not enough for newcomers to feel involved.
“It’s definitely difficult to keep yourself connected when you don’t have that strong community,” said RJ Yovanovich, a junior public policy and geography double major who serves as treasurer of Hofstra Hillel.
According to the president of the Muslim Student Association (MSA) student participation in the organization has decreased since the organization started hosting events online. The group is trying to attract new members by offering game nights and virtual social gatherings.
“Our goal is to provide an outlet for Muslim students … to feel comfortable and be well informed,” said Arsalan Jamal, a junior economics and pre-law double major and president of MSA. “We hope to keep on planning events and creating prominent and thought-provoking events for our club.”
The Muslim Student Association is hosting weekly events on Zoom to keep their community connected.
Students who want to get involved with any of these organizations can do so by accessing the Hofstra Interfaith Center website or by following their individual Instagram pages.