There are a few things that a lapsed Catholic walking into a Jewish Shabbat service should probably know, but the most glaring is this: Jewish prayers are not sung in English. When I received this assignment—to visit a variety of religious services on campus—the thought that I wouldn’t be able to understand the prayers never occurred to me.

Fortunately, despite the language barrier, it wasn’t hard to get into the spirit of Shabbat. It had a feeling of community, sitting together in a circle—and, of course, there were the drums.

“I had never been to a drum Shabbat before,” said Ali Rosenberg ’15, an attendee. “I think [they] really added something, because even people who don’t know the prayers can still engage in the rhythm and spirit behind them.”

All around the room, people pounded out the prayer rhythms on drums, bongos, cowbells, tambourines, and even the hardcover backs of the prayer books. A few people led the majority of the prayers, but throughout the room, voices were added to familiar songs, and even I could add in the occasional “Shabbat Shalom!”

Shabbat services are a weekly Jewish tradition held at 6:00 p.m. on Fridays at the Bayit. David Teva, the University’s rabbi and Director of the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life declined to be interviewed for this article because he was busy with preparations for last week’s Jewish High Holy Days.

Every week at Shabbat is different. Last Shabbat, roughly 40 or 50 students had gathered. At the head of the circle sat three students who directed the prayers and the drumming. It was their week to lead Shabbat, and it was their idea to add instruments.

“I like that at Wesleyan different students can lead services and switch it up every week,” Rosenberg said.

Two days later, I attended the two Christian services on campus. First, at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday in Memorial Chapel were the Protestant services, also known as the “All-Campus Christian Worship.”

Services at the University begin with music by the Chapel Ministry Praise and Worship Team. There were vocalists, violinists, a guitarist, and a pianist all gathered at the front of the room. My modest church back home had a pianist who sang the hymns throughout the mass, but was never showcased as a central part of the service.

Worship music groups are common among some Protestant denominations and showcase contemporary worship music. They take the place of the traditional organ and choir. At this past service, eight students took the stage and performed for the 20 or 30 people gathered in the Chapel.

“I’ve been to Protestant services before and a lot of them start off with music by a Worship team, so I expected it,” said Iliana Ortega ’15.

Apparently, this is a common enough experience; it was, however, once again one that was new to me.

There was a very open feel to the service, designed to welcome all of the different Protestant denominations. Pastor Joan Burnett invited participants to clap if they felt like clapping, say “Amen” if they were moved to speech, and sit silently if they preferred to commune in peace.

“It’s going to be different from what they were used to at home,” Burnett said. “We do try to make it more contemporary because it’s college.”

Service ended with everyone present gathering at the front, holding hands, and singing. Burnett invited us to hug a neighbor.

“The Protestant chapel worship service is a place where all can come for inspiration, rejuvenation, prayer, praise and lively, Biblically based worship,” Burnett wrote in an e-mail to the Argus.

While not identical to Catholic mass, the Protestant service is the same in that it provides a place for music, reflection, prayer, and worship as a community. Protestant masses include readings, the Bible, and a sermon. They do not, however, include the Eucharist—the body of Christ presented in the form of bread—which is an integral part of a Catholic mass.

“I’m actually a Catholic, but the Catholic mass was later at night so I came here with a friend,” Ortega said. “I felt much more welcome here than I did at other Protestant services I’ve attended in the past.”

The Catholic Masses take place at 8:00 p.m. on Sundays in the Chapel. It’s comforting for a Catholic, even one who can’t remember the last time she went to Church, to see that there are some things that never change. Catholic Mass on campus was a lot like Catholic Mass at home. The responses didn’t change, the readings were in the same place, and the rituals were still upheld. At this college level, though, mass was more personal.

The priest, Father Hal Weidner, makes an effort to reach his audience during his sermons. On Sunday, he connected the year  most freshmen were born—1993—with the movie “Schindler’s List,” which also came out in 1993, using it to make a point about the week’s Gospel.

“He knows how to connect with us. He uses a lot of pop culture references; it’s nice,” said Zaida Garcia ’15.

Abel Sandoval ’15 added, “He’s very understanding.”

When the moment came to bless the bread and wine as the body and blood of Christ, Weidner called everyone to stand in the front of the church to pray. The smaller size of the congregation made this possible.

“It’s very intimate,” Garcia said. “At home there are too many people to be able to do that, but here we could all go up and say the prayers together.”

The smaller size may have added to the intimacy of the service, but it also means that people aren’t beating down the Chapel door to get a good seat for Mass. There were roughly 20 or 30 people in attendance that evening.

At Muslim prayer, likewise, the numbers are not overwhelming. This event is also held weekly at 12:00 p.m. on Fridays in the Muslim prayer room of the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life.

“We have around twelve students attend the Friday congregational prayer (Salaatul Jumuah),” Chaplain Marwa Aly wrote in an email.

This service, keeping in spirit with the others, has a strong sense of community. Despite not being able to witness the prayer firsthand, I did get a good sense of the service from the chaplain.

“Our weekly prayer is filled with inspirational words and reminders to the Muslim students on campus,” Aly said. “A male student leads the prayer by giving a short speech and then leading the Arabic prayer. No one is allowed to speak during the prayer, so it’s solitary in that respect, but during prayer you are foot to foot, shoulder to shoulder with the people standing to the right and left of you. The leader of the prayer makes communal supplications as well.”

Ali said that she enjoys when students come to him to clarify their understanding of Islam. She said that she finds Wesleyan students very open to engagement on the topic.

“I think there is enthusiasm and curiosity but it’s unnamed,” said Chaplain Aly. “Many people like to think of themselves as spiritual and not religious, but with time I find that the problems they face with organized religion often have to do with actions of the people claiming to practice that religion, as opposed to the actual tenants of the religion.”

Buddhist House also holds weekly events. On Mondays and Thursdays, Buddhist House opens its doors for meditation at 6:00 p.m.

Buddhist meditation is a means of transforming the mind and using it to explore itself and other phenomena. Meditation is used for relaxation and deep thought even by those outside of the Buddhist religion.

“You come in, sit down in a circle, and wait for the person leading to begin,” said Lynx Mitchell ’15, who has gone to Buddhist meditation several times. “They ask how long everyone wants to meditate for and then they ring the singing bowl, which sounds like a bell, and everyone closes their eyes and begins. So far we’ve usually meditated for about twenty minutes at a time. My favorite part is when the time ends and the leader rings the bowl again and everyone opens their eyes really slowly and we just sit in silence for a few minutes.”

The final service I attended was Vespers, a comfortable, student-led gathering for students from any or no religious background. Vespers meets on Wednesdays at 5:30p.m. in the Chaplain’s lounge at the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life.

According to its page on the ORSL website, Vespers is “a unique Wesleyan tradition for students from any or no religion background to create a different ritual each week that addresses the immediate concerns in our lives and the world.”

Vespers is a relaxing place with a peaceful environment. Cushions line the floor, circling a centerpiece of candles and flowers.

This week, the student who led the service had us sing in rounds. Round songs are short (otherwise they’d go on forever) and some were familiar, like “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” This, however, was the only song I knew. Others were learned at camps or were foreign songs. Despite the occasional trouble with song lyrics, I felt relaxed and comfortable.

“I like going because there is always something different happening and I can always take something positive away from it,” said Katy Thompson ’15.

Every week, the experience changes, but organizers hope that attendees can always take away a sense of peace and a bright flower to decorate their dorm room.