Interfaith Council invites students to 'chat,' sip on chai

Augustana’s Interfaith Council has introduced a new regular event this semester aimed at educating students about religion and providing a community especially for non-Christian students. 

“Chai and Chat” events take place roughly every two weeks in the Interfaith Room. Attending students can drink chai made by members of the Interfaith Council and participate in open discussions about religious topics. 

Junior Isha Hooda, president of the Interfaith Council, said she hopes Chai and Chat will grow as more people hear about the events and begin attending. 

“It’s still kind of a work in progress because we started it this year, so we’re still putting the pieces together,” Hooda said.

According to Hooda, the event came about in one of the Interfaith Council’s meetings as members were discussing ways to create a space for students who do not practice Christianity.

“We do invite Christians as well to listen to the talks,” Hooda said.

The Interfaith Council hopes to shift the Chai and Chats from a biweekly event to something that happens every week. According to Hooda, the council has been hosting them at 5 p.m. on Fridays to immediately follow the International Programs Office’s Rendezvous events.

“We usually do it just after Rendezvous just because people are already here, so they’re encouraged to go up and listen to the next spiel that’s going to be given on religion,” Hooda said.

The blend of cultural and religious education and conversation even extends to the tea. Hooda said she hopes future Chai and Chats will explore different traditions for making chai. 

“I really hope to bring in students who can help, maybe teach us how to make chai from their religion and talk about how chai is made in different countries,” Hooda said. “We’ve just been continuing with Indian chai because that’s something that we’re comfortable with, but next year we hope to include other types of chai.”

At one Chai and Chat event on Friday, March 22, students gathered in the interfaith room. The room was full of cheerful laughs as friends gathered together and the activities began. While there was no guest speaker that week, Hooda and freshman Maya Madson facilitated the interfaith-themed trivia game with discussion to follow.

Students took turns chiming in with their thoughts, such as what they like about other religions, what they wish people knew about their religion and what they wished to see more of at Chai and Chat. 

Nada Chaabane, an exchange student, shared how her experience going to church with a friend inspired her to go to mosque more often. She said she wished more people understood that Islam is not a violent religion.

“It’s a religion of peace. We don’t want to hurt anyone,” Chaabane said.

Other students said they admired aspects of other religions, such as the notion of wrestling with the Torah in Judaism or how many celebrations are a part of Hinduism.

“I admire Judaism because there’s no afterlife,” Madson said. “The focus is on the here and now.”

The discussion lasted about 30 minutes, and everyone in the room was given a chance to speak and to answer any of the questions they liked.

Attendees included members of the Interfaith Council and chapel staff.

“I’m really hoping this can grow in the future,” Hooda said. “I really hope students feel that they’re represented in having these discussions and take that time to prepare themselves for the future.”

Hooda and other members of the Interfaith Council have emphasized the need for a community to help students feel comfortable celebrating their religious traditions. 

“The Interfaith Council is here to create a community, and that is the goal of Chai and Chat,” Hooda said. “It does really meet the idea of having chai and chatting, so it’s like you’re sitting in a coffee shop, just having this conversation with someone.”