Although fewer students attend formal services, campus groups continue to grow
By LAURA MISJAK
The State News
She listened. She waited. And then, she enthusiastically shook the toys.
The special education deaf education senior joined fellow Jewish students Monday at Chabad House in East Lansing in a century-old tradition of heckling Haman — the villain in the story of Purim. Rabbi Hendel Weingarten said he created Chabad House about two years ago to provide a haven for Jewish students to practice and grow in their faith.
Not only can Irwin continue to take part in Jewish holidays while she's in college; she eats dinner at Chabad House every Friday evening.
But she said sometimes it's a struggle to remain religious while in college.
"This is the way we were raised," she said. "It's difficult to stay as Orthodox when you grow up."
Religious group leaders on campus say membership is thriving. MSU has about 48 student groups affiliated with religion, compared to 15 at Central Michigan University, 23 at Western Michigan University and about 70 at the University of Michigan. The groups represent a wide range of beliefs from Christianity to Buddhism. Studies show religious participation among college students remains relatively high. About 80 percent of students attended religious services during a one-year period and a comparable amount discuss religion with family and friends, according to a study released last year by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA.
But some say compared to decades ago, the pressures of college and the country's current social climate push religion to the background of many students' lives.
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