Fascinating thread, and an artistic flair in the telling! Just out of curiosity, isn't this the chapter from the book "Loose Change"?

So, I'm curious.

Beyond recruitment, did the Jewish chapters (I'm assuming there was also a fraternity!) mix with the other chapters on a regular basis? Were they treated just as any other Greeks, or were they somewhat ostracized?

I'm pretty sure I had another question when I read this thread earlier, but I can't remember what it is. I'd really be interested to hear any other information you'd be willing to share about your experiences in this chapter or in the Greek community.

Thanks for such an interesting story!

Trust me, no this is not from a chapter from Loose Change. Totally true story. As for mixing...By the way, in my pledge class we had one anomaly: A Christian girl pledged with us. She was very comfortable with Jews and found our chapter to be her favorite. I think that sorority sisters kind of stick together within their chapter. Obviously on Panhellenic Board there was cooperation, but I really don't recall that many friendships between girls from different houses. On the other hand...cute boy sees cute girl...Hormones rule at that age. I think there have been lots of movies made from this. I dated a guy from a non Jewish house. But I don't remember formal exchanges between our house and Christian fraternities. There may have been exchanges between Jewish fraternities and Christian sororities.

I think that the last part was again a throwback to my generation's idea that you went to college to meet a husband. And it was "easier" to marry someone Jewish. Intermarriage wasn't as common then. Again, the anti-semitism wasn't blatant in daily life or overtly cruel. It was what I call polite bigotry. People were comfortable with the status quo.

I'm curious, what year was this? Guessing it was either the very late 60s or early 70s.

Benzgirl, you are good. I rushed in the early 70s.

Excellent Thread!
 

The AEPhi chapter in Loose Change is University of California - Berkeley



Again, Great Thread Ellebud! It was very thought provoking, and extremely well written!! Oh, and a belated congratulations you and AEPhi ! :D

So on top of the turmoil of the war, protestors and the anti-establishment, you had to deal with something as rediculous as this. That is really too bad.
Many chapters closed during this era. I'm curious, how did the chapters survive at USC?

There are 11 chapters at SC today. One, SDT, just became part of the row. I don't believe that they have a house as yet. AEPhi closed in the late 70s. It was a victim (?) to a positive change: Jewish girls began to have choices. And SC, not a traditionally strongly Jewish school didn't have a lot of Jewish girls rushing. The other sorority that didn't make it was, Chi Omega.

SC was always more conservative. Yes, there were some protests but totally unlike UCLA or Berkeley. And despite its location SC at that time was very insular. The neighborhood was awful and there was a leave campus and run mentality. Today the row is very strong. And there are more Jewish girls there. I know that if my youngest rushes she wouldn't be interested in a Jewish house per se. My oldest daughter, who decided not to pledge, might have been interested in a Jewish house. (She dropped out of rush...). But not because it was Jewish.

I didn't want to insinuate that this WAS a chapter from "Loose Change"; I was just wondering if it was the same chapter. To a lot of us east of the Mississippi, all those California schools soemtimes seem to be interchangable!

Thank you so much for posting this story! It's interesting to me because I know this past year we were scared of losing girls we absolutely fell in love with to our AEPhi chapter because they were Jewish - I just couldn't imagine completely cutting out an entire group of rushees based on their religion. Congratulations to you for finding a home and being such an amazing sister!

Dear LOVEin ZTA

So, how did it work out? I don't know where most people here went to college so I am curious. What part of the country is your school and what happened? And how strong is AEPhi at your school?

ellebud-that was a great story! I'm curious (and you may have already mentioned this already) but, what happened to Ms.Chicago? The girl who was set to join a "top tier" house couldn't have completely looked away at all the sororities in the end-right? I would think it would be better to join an NPC that wasn't necessarily top on your campus (knowing they all have different reputations at various schools) than to NEVER join an NPC and be bitter about sorority life for the next 20 years-right?

As far as I know Ms. Chicago never joined a house. Did she rush again as a sophomore? No, I would have seen her. At that time, at SC it was unusual to rush as a junior. And while sororities were strong at SC even then, it wasn't imperative for a girl like her to have joined. (I mean "like her" in the sense that her family had a strong Greek/waspy tradition to uphold. She, and her family I guess, could have excused her lack of affiliation by saying that Ms. Chicago didn't want to join. I don't know what they did.) I agree with you 1000% about joining a "second tier" house is better than nothing if you want to join in the first place. But some people don't look at this or life like that. It's all or nothing, and I'll take my marbles and go home. And, in hindsight, it is the quality of the people you are friends with and not the superficial stuff that determine how a friendship(s) endure.

I must say-I truly agree with you...Some of the chapters that are "top tier" at my school are "bottom tier" at other great schools-but, would never go to another school and look down on those other chapters....For instance, a chapter that may be "top tier" at my university may be "bottom tier" at a university where we are #1. If I went to that university where we were #1 and the other chapters were "bottom tier" I would honestly think nothing less of them....I would think-"Wow...look at those great girls who want to get involved with philanthropy...That's great!" Maybe that's because I truly have Greek Pride in Every Chapter...I'm glad it worked out for you! That's wonderful to hear!

Honeychile, Cal and USC are NOT interchangeable. Oh dear, I think I am feeling faint. I do believe you have committed an atrocious faux pas, but as you are not from California, we will graciously forgive your inadvertent error. ;)