Duke Community Comes Together for Healing Vigil

About 80 Duke students, faculty and staff gathered at the steps of Duke Chapel at 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 12, for an interfaith prayer vigil to foster healing in response to the recent events involving the Duke men's lacrosse team.

The vigil, sponsored by the chapel and Duke Religious Life, included reading and singing from sacred Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Jewish texts, as well as prayer and a time of silence.

The vigil also drew about a dozen TV reporters and other members of the media. After four students and a Duke rabbi took turns at the podium, most journalists stepped back to enable the participants, led by Chapel Dean Sam Wells, to link arms in a loose circle for a time of silence.

Rabbi Michael Goldman, the new Rabbi for Duke's FreemanCenter for Jewish Life, stepped to the podium. "There's no dichotomy between the pursuit of justice and the pursuit of love and reconciliation," he said. He went on to read, in Hebrew, from the 19th chapter of Leviticus.

"You shall not hate your kinsfolk in your heart," he read. "Reprove your kinsman but incur no guilt because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your fellow as yourself; I am the Lord."

Chee Hoe, a graduate student in physics, said he represented Buddhism. "I'd like to suggest that we be calm and kind to each other in these trying times," he said.

Hoe went on to read "The Buddha's Words on Loving Kindness."

April Edwards, a sophomore, read selections from the third chapter of Colossians.

"Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly," Edwards read. "But now you must get rid of such things -- anger, wrath, malice, slander and abusive language from your mouth."

Vineet Agrawal, a senior representing the Hindu faith, sang a hymn in his native tongue. "It speaks to the unity," he said, "not only between people, but between various faiths."

Hamza Aziz, a junior, sang a prayer from his Muslim faith.