There were certainly a number of great events at Tufts over the past couple of weeks. There were three that didn't garner much, if any, attention in the Daily, but that nonetheless exemplified the best of what Tufts has to offer.
On Monday, Nov. 9, Leon Rubinstein, a Holocaust survivor and author of "Escape to Freedom," spoke at Tufts Hillel on the 71st anniversary of Kristallnacht, which marked the start of the organized campaign of inhuman brutality that had scarcely been seen before. Hillel and Tufts CAFÉ (Conversations Action Faith Education) worked hand-in-hand over several months to bring Rubinstein to Tufts from his home in Florida so students here would be able to listen to his remarkable story. It was the first time Rubinstein spoke to a college audience, and a full 24 hours before that, the cross-town rival in Cambridge had a chance to hear him speak. It was an understandably moving event for the 80 or so in attendance, who listened attentively to the still vibrant and intensely poignant story of a man who had lived in times and suffered personal losses that many of us could scarcely comprehend. And all of it was made possible because two distinctly diverse student groups worked together in a way that paid tribute to the legacy of the Holocaust.
Then on Friday, Nov. 13, there was a fundraiser in the Sophia Gordon Multipurpose Room for Computers for Careers, a charity that provides impoverished children with the opportunity for a livelihood beyond poverty through information technology. Computers for Careers is a praiseworthy product of the Tufts experience produced by an even more esteemed product of Tufts. Current Fletcher student Constantin Sabet d'Acre started the organization while he was an undergraduate at Tufts a couple years ago. At the event, performances by Tufts' own BlackOut and the Tufts Garba Team were impressive and the Nepalese food was, of course, delicious. However, the most impressive and most delicious part of the evening (for the soul) was the fact that all of us there knew exactly where all the proceeds were headed and that they would bring to impoverished children the 21st-century skills needed to have a real chance at life.
And finally, on Monday, Nov. 16, there was the annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Dinner at the Interfaith Center where students of all faiths gathered together to celebrate Thanksgiving as a diverse community. Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Latter Day Saint, Unitarian, Muslim and Baha'i students, as well as those of no particular faith or creed, came together in a demonstration of unity despite diversity for a common expression of gratitude. This was especially visible when the opportunity arose to perform an act of service by writing short notes or letters to children with terminal illnesses. It was truly a neat sight to behold and akin to observing a garden of great variety in which such diversity creates the beauty and charm of that garden.
And as we approach Thanksgiving, I realize that despite any issues we may have with things here and there at Tufts (including the price of tuition), it is nonetheless a remarkable place with unique opportunities for us to bring into action the world that we want to encounter each day. Tufts fosters a world where the horror of the Holocaust will never be repeated, where children in dire poverty have a real chance at life, and where people of all nations, faiths and creeds live in peace and harmony. This is what most of us hope for, and this is what I saw put into living action the past two weeks at our university.
