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.
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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