Editor’s note: This is the second in a five-part series exploring the role of religion in the lives of Ohio University students.
Some people come to college with a faith and keep it, some people come to college with a faith and lose it, and some people come to college without a faith and find one.
Lily Ross, a junior studying communications, arrived at Ohio University not actively involved with her Jewish heritage, but she soon found herself becoming more involved with some of the Jewish organizations on campus.
“Both of my parents are Jewish, so I started going to Sunday school when I was younger and started Hebrew school as well,” Ross said. “I stopped going in 10th grade, but I started getting involved when I came to OU.”
Although Ross is a reform Jew — meaning she practices a more secular form of the religion — she said she understands that Judaism can have different meanings to different people. More than anything else, it is their own experiences that will shape their religion, she said.
“Everyone has their own definition of being Jewish,” she said. “I know that I am very secular, but the values I have are because of friends and family. Everyone has their own adventure with self-discovery.”
On the other hand, Mary Brett Koplen, a senior studying English, came to college with her Jewish faith and has been actively involved with Hillel since her arrival.
“In college, I was in a different place and wasn’t used to a lot of Jewish people, because I am from a small town and there are not a lot of Jewish people,” Koplen said. “But I got here, and I was excited about getting involved.”
Koplen said she views Judaism not only as a religion, but also as a culture or way of life.
“You can relate to Judaism culturally or religiously, or just by a strong connection to Israel, or even through a common language like Hebrew,” she said. “It’s so much more than a religion.”
Because of this flexibility, Koplen said that Judaism actually offers students much more freedom than they may think.
“It is quite possible to hone your Jewish beliefs but not consider yourself a religious person,” she said. “If you are uncomfortable with the religious side, it’s OK. That makes it open for people to explore their beliefs.”
In addition to the many different ways students practice Judaism, Rabbi Danielle Leshaw, director of Hillel, said that many of the Jewish groups on campus have had an influx of students in recent years as a result of student outreach. She added that social media has proved to be a particularly effective recruiting tool.
“We want to meet and engage with Jewish students,” Leshaw said. “We no longer create services and hope for people to come. We are more proactive, and we want the students to feel empowered to learn more.”
Koplen looks at the secularization of the world not as a bad thing but rather as a way for people to become more open.
“We have to have room for people who are questioning,” she said. “From a personal space, I don’t even know how I feel about God on a day to day basis, but that’s the beauty of it.”
ao007510@ohiou.edu
