Rushing Jewish Sororities
 

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Approach it following the excellent advice here on GC for ANY sorority. These three sororities are looking for quality members - and whether or not they are Jewish will be, I imagine, a secondary consideration. If it is an issue, I would trust to the sorority to ask for the information if it is not on your information sheet.

Just because a group is historically Jewish does not mean they are at that campus. I've seen a DPhiE chapter that didn't seem to have any Jewish members, and I knew an ADPi chapter that was heavily Jewish (and a top recruiting group). It's really best to keep an open mind until you go through so you can see for yourself what each sorority is like and where you feel comfortable.

D Phi E is historically non-sectarian. (They were founded to welcome women of all faiths.)

If the D Phi E chapter at my campus has had 5 Jewish members in its entire 20+ year existence, I'd be surprised. Then again, there aren't a ton of Jewish people at my alma mater period. I don't know what school you're going to since you deleted your post, but if it's a smaller school with a small Jewish population, don't expect that the sororities you named are going to yell "Whoo Hoo! Jew!" and give you a bid.

LOL.

To the OP: FWIW, Zeta Beta Tau is on my undergrad campus and unless they've had one since I graduated they have never had a Jewish member. Check it out on campus before writing off other NPCs.

*bangs head on wall for not QFP*

*wishes someone had QFP*

AEPhi was founded by seven Jewish women as a sorority open to all, Jewish and non-Jewish alike. My chapter includes Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, and Hindu members. You don't automatically get in because you had a bat mitzvah 5 years ago.

Quick hijack for a second here:

I've been reading/posting on GC since 2003 and I STILL have no clue what QFP stands for. Please someone have mercy on me and fill me in.

End hijack.

Quoting For Posterity

QFPs are great because it allows us to read what was in the original post even if the OP decides to edit or delete it.

Nice! I love those- there have been many times I've wished someone had QFP'd when I'd reading an old thread. Thanks, OTW.

I don't "know" what the OP originally asked but my sense is that she wants to rush/join only a Jewish house, or a house that is predominately Jewish, whatever its' name. So, as I said to a poster that despite a Jewish last name isn't Jewish and was in horror that she would be confused as being a Jew my advice stands: Wear a cross or a Star of David. You get your message across in a subtle polite way.

I didn't see the original post, but I get the impression that the OP is considering a campus that has all three (SDT, AEPhi, and DPhiE). There aren't that many schools that have all three, and all of those that do have substantial Jewish populations.

It's perfectly reasonable to desire a historically Jewish sorority, and to want to make sure that the sororities are aware of your identity.
________

And again, for any pnm who has specific wants or needs: let your resume do the talking as well. BBYO or Young Life (as I remember the name of the organization), Christian Fellowship (although a member of my house AEPhi had an uncle who was a famous evangelical Christian minister), or Rabbi's assistant.

There is nothing wrong, in my opinion, to want to find the best home for you. And if one is more comfortable in a predominately Christian/Jewish/ Hindu/atheist sorority as long as the choice is made knowing what is involved and not bigotry make the choice. (As I mentioned in my recruitment story when I rushed many women went to college to meet their husband. So, Jewish women, who were excluded at that time from other houses on my campus as a rule, joined a Jewish house. We mixed with Jewish fraternities and many of us married the men we met there.)

But in full disclosure: I believe that my daughter will be rushing in the fall. She is interested in exploring all the houses. She wouldn't wear a Star of David because its not HER. In her case she wants a mixture of women...much like our family and neighborhood.

Sigma Delta Tau
 

You are so right, AEPhi alum. SDT began as a "Jewish" sorority in 1917 because the other sororities at Cornell at that time would not or could not pledge Jews. Our sorority is open to all undergrad women of good character, who are looking for a group that stresses quality, fellowship, good grades and service to the campus and community. If you were to read the list of SDT members and alums, there is quite a diverse mix, of which I am very proud.

I have a close Jewish friend who is a Theta. She was a legacy to AEPhi through her mother and to SDT through her sister. Both chapters were on her campus but she felt more comfortable with the Thetas and it worked for both her and the Theta chapter.

Paula M.
Sigma Delta Tau
Patrae Multi Spes Una
One Hope of Many People

Dear Greekchat,

Not to derail, but as a general rule I'd like to say that if KSUViolet describes something in boldfaced type as "super tacky," SOMEONE needs to QFP. Some of us have capstone classes which are technically full time jobs. And after dealing with those crazy J-school people all day, we want to read the crazy posts. It reminds us just how much worse it could be. And also that we are sane by comparison, not being sucked down the spinning newspaper/magazine/dead print media spiral of lunacy.

thanks,
the second-semester senior.

*Thinking back to my own recruitment, when the Nationals of predominately Jewish/Roman Catholic/Protestant sororities said it was okay to pledge anyone but the individual chapters wouldn't.* I'll never forget a sister showing me the Sedar Plate that her boyfriend had given her; I just assumed it was a symbol of commitment or something.

Remember the episode on 90210 when Andrea wore her Star of David to Pref?

Honeychile:

Well, the seder plate was a symbol of something. But I must admit that none of my sisters ever received a seder plate instead of an engagement ring. Oh well.

As for Andrea...since the creators of the show all went to Beverly (where I went) and based a lot of the original characters on real kids that I knew ((the characters in the little known movie the Chicken Chronicles were exactly the kids at Beverly..) no I don't.

While I know that many people don't want to leave their comfort zone at anytime...and for some young women (those who "keep" the Sabbath or kosher) it may be imperiative for them to join a Jewish house where fewer questions will be asked or their beliefs challenged...and again I do not know what the OP said...but for some people, possibly with family pressure...this may be their only option.

You're right, let me clarify: For some young women (remember they are young) their PERCEPTION may be, or their families' perception may be that ....that it is easier to keep customs in a Jewish house.

Again, I am Jewish. When I rushed, during the time of the dinosaurs, Jewish women really didn't have a choice. When I rushed most Jewish college kids married Jewish. My daughter, who is rushing this fall is Jewish, but my husband is Christian. In her case, she couldn't care less about keeping anything. But there are young women who have been in one environment all their lives who can't or won't spread their wings out of a certain comfort zone. And while what the OP said may not have been pc, or perhaps it was offensive or ill advised, I think that we must view it in the same vein as if a young African American woman said (despite the obvious difference), I want to join an historically black sorority...how do I make that happen and (perhaps) have other sororities ignore me?

I have a sister who when she went through rush HAD to be a DPHIE.
(She is all about her "Jewishness" as was made obvious the first time I met her because I swear that the whole conversation was about her being a Jew and she must have said the word at least 450 times in that 30 minutes chat fest).

During our chat she pointed out that after she realized our campuses chapter of DPHIE had like NO Jews she just went with what she liked the best...Phi Mu a sorority founded by Methodists...

So basically my point is that everyone else is right, keep an open mind because the "Jewish" house may not be for you.

I was going to ask the same thing! I must keep QFP in mind!

I agree. Interests are interests, Jewish, black (in my case), etc.

I am confused as to why she thought that that would be a good thing to say?!

I think it is really important to keep an open mind when going through recruitment. It is more important to consider the current make-up of sororities at your campus then who the founders were a hundred years ago. A historically Jewish sorority in New York City might have all Jewish members, but so might a historically Christian one. While a historically Jewish sorority in the South might have absolutely no Jewish members. You need to consider the chapter at your university as much as the GLO as a whole.

To note though some girls are looking for a Jewish experience in college. It has to do with celebrating who they are as Jewish young women. If that is the case (for this author or anyone else) a person might consider a chapter of a historically Jewish sorority that might still celebrate their Judaism actively or even a sorority like Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi that (although open to all women) celebrates Judaism and religion in their regular semester activities.

Why did the OP say what she (possibly) said? Because she is (pick one) open to knowing what she wants, doesn't know any better, has no idea what rush is really about and how the process works, and/or has no brakes.

But taking the larger view this thread is a good thing because it tells other pnms (again) what to do or not to do, how to conduct yourself when looking for a home, and how to discern what is importent (or unimportent) to you.

Jewish Experiences
 

For any students who wish to have more Jewish experiences, there is usually a Hillel chapter they can join which celebrates the holidays, the Sabbath, holds worship services, dinner meetings and performs community and campus service while providing a social outlet as well. It can enhance sorority life.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi is not a member of NPC and therefore is not bound by its policies.

Paula M.
Sigma Delta Tau
Patrae Multi Spes Una
One Hope of Many People

[quote=paulam;1799668]For any students who wish to have more Jewish experiences, there is usually a Hillel chapter they can join which celebrates the holidays, the Sabbath, holds worship services, dinner meetings and performs community and campus service while providing a social outlet as well. It can enhance sorority life.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi is not a member of NPC and therefore is not bound by its policies.

Hillel, Chabad, Koach, Jewish Student Unions, etc. are a fantastic part of Jewish life on college campuses. I encourage anyone going to college and looking for a Jewish experience to check out their university's organizations.

Yes. Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi is not a member of the NPC. What it is is a national greek letter organization with chapters on both coasts offering women both Jewish and non-Jewish an amazing college experience both religious, social, service oriented, and otherwise.

I have many amazing friends in both NPC sororities and Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi. The key is to find the sisterhood and organization that is right for you.

So....ok....if she said that then I'd go with my first suggestion: Wear a Star of David, dress appropriately, be interesting/funny/informative and show an interest in the house.

...oh, wait, that's what you're supposed to do at every house, with or without the Star of David.

Isn't SAEPi the sorority that was featured on MTV a few years back?