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Old 10-17-2003, 01:37 PM
aephi alum aephi alum is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Crescent City
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Quote:
Originally posted by AXORissa
actually, its my understanding that DPhiE was founded by Jewish women, and although it is not a Jewish sorority like AEPhi, the girls who chose to join there on many campuses are Jewish.
Careful with the "Jewish sorority" label...

AEPhi was founded in 1909 by seven Jewish women. My understanding is that some or all of them rushed the existing sororities at Barnard and were turned away because they were Jewish. So they formed their own sorority based on Jewish ideals but open to women of all faiths.

I hate the label "Jewish sorority" because it makes it sound like we're only open to Jewish women, which is not the case. I prefer "historically Jewish" because it indicates that we were founded by Jewish women with Jewish ideals, but that doesn't mean we'll turn you away if there's a cross instead of a star around your neck.

That said - like begets like. A chapter that's predominantly Jewish is attractive to some Jewish women. They know they'll never have to attend a mandatory event on Shabbat, they'll have sisters to sit with at Hillel functions, etc. So most AEPhi chapters are, and remain, predominantly Jewish in their membership.
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