Be Yourself. Go Deep. Be-Friend. 

“Friendship is intimate and ordinary. It can also be revolutionary.” - Dana Robert

This semester-long interfaith friendship project is designed for participants to go deep and to talk about the things that matter: our values, our sense of purpose, and our questions about life. You will learn the skill of active listening while experimenting with shared spiritual practices from different religious and philosophical traditions. Participants will be paired in dyads and will commit to spending an hour together each week as well as an extra half hour in private reflection. Several of our chaplains have contributed to the program offering a diverse array of spiritual practices, including nature walks, meditation exercises, listening to music, deep reading—of poetry, art, the world, our lives and one another. All Tufts students, staff, and faculty, are welcome to join (please note: students will be paired with fellow students, and faculty and staff will be paired together).

Contact Associate Director Lynn Cooper if you have any questions. Undergraduates, graduate students, staff, faculty, and alumni and are all invited to participate. The program will relaunch in Spring 2026.

The Be-Friend Companion

The Be-Friend Companion is now be available for download. Copyrighted by Tufts University, this resource is perfect for colleges, universities, and communities who are interested building and nurturing meaningful connections across difference. This fifty page document includes a road map for implementing the program and twenty-six spiritual practices written by our team of mulitfaith chaplains. These practices are substantive, accessible and versatile. While designed for Be-Friend, our chaplaincy team uses these reflections and  throughout the year in many gatherings. Topics covered range from mindful eating to rituals of the everyday to poetry, pilgrimages and play, making them ideal for small group gatherings and retreats.