AEPi chapter disaffiliates from National Organization

[robinseggblue]

Originally Posted by aephi alum

Thank you for slamming the chapter of which I am a founder. For the record, I was Catholic at the time, and I was welcomed with open arms.

Posting a news story = slamming a chapter? Wow.

I don't know about specifics but I do know chapter identities aren't constant. Take it up with your alma mater's news paper if the report is inaccurate. Don't shoot the messenger.

[aephi alum]

Originally Posted by robinseggblue

Posting a news story = slamming a chapter? Wow.

Why did you post that news story, if not to slam my chapter?

[clemsongirl]

Originally Posted by aephi alum

Why did you post that news story, if not to slam my chapter?

To show that there is a precedent for traditionally-Jewish organizations having issues with accepting members of all religions versus maintaining a strong Jewish identity? I don't see any hostility in simply posting an article related to the topic at hand. It's not as though anyone announced that this was your chapter before posting it.

[robinseggblue]

Thanks, clemsongirl! That's exactly why.

Originally Posted by aephi alum

Why did you post that news story, if not to slam my chapter?

I can make it even simpler:

1. I thought the original post and Sen's question about motivation were interesting so I wanted to research to see if there were clear motivations expressed.
2. I found the article about Jewish organizations "returning to Jewish roots" which also intrigued me.
3. I did some searching to see if this happened under a different greek letter org.
4. I found the MIT article and posted it.

The fact that you founded this chapter is something I couldn't have known. How could I have known? I don't know who you are and I didn't read all your Greek Chat postings.

I had no hostile intention. Like I said, it's a news story...not an opinion piece. News stories should be based on factual events and that's why I posted it. I'm happy you had a good experience in your chapter and if you're debating the truthfulness of the news piece that's welcome, but if you're gonna get upset with anyone it shouldn't be me.

[aephi alum]

Ok. *takes a deep breath*

robinseggblue, I understand that you had no idea that I was a chapter founder at MIT. It rubbed me the wrong way that you happened to single out my chapter as an example of "kick out all the non-Jews". I overreacted, and I apologize for that.

All: AEPhi accepts members of any and all faiths, so long as they are ok with Jewish ideals. I wasn't turned back on my way to initiation because I was Catholic. You don't even have to be of a monotheistic faith (note my earlier comment that we had a Hindu sister while I was an active). We even had a chapter bylaw that forbade mandatory events on the major religious holidays of any member's faith - and I once went toe to toe with my chapter's president to ensure that we did not have a chapter meeting on Easter Sunday.

AEPhi was founded by seven Jewish women who - after being turned down by other sororities because they were Jewish (this was commonplace back in 1909) - connected with each other.

From time to time, if the "Powers That Be" within AEPhi feel that a chapter as a whole has drifted away from the sorority's Jewish identity, they may intervene. It seems that AEPi uses a somewhat heavier hand when determining whether a chapter has drifted away from the fraternity's Jewish roots.

</soapbox>

[RMT2013]

Originally Posted by aephi alum

All: AEPhi accepts members of any and all faiths, so long as they are ok with Jewish ideals. I wasn't turned back on my way to initiation because I was Catholic. You don't even have to be of a monotheistic faith (note my earlier comment that we had a Hindu sister while I was an active). We even had a chapter bylaw that forbade mandatory events on the major religious holidays of any member's faith - and I once went toe to toe with my chapter's president to ensure that we did not have a chapter meeting on Easter Sunday.

Okay I don't know how long you've been removed from school, but I had to come back and comment on this. The student leaders of AEPhi chapters have been told that they were "not Jewish enough" by the National Organization as recently as this past Fall semester. Several chapters are known for blatantly discriminating against women who aren't Jewish during recruitment (UT Austin's chapter prides itself on being a chapter that is 100% Jewish). While the national organization claims to "be open to all religions," the fact is they're not. They are fully aware that a chapter like UT Austin will refuse a legacy for no other reason than that the woman isn't Jewish and they haven't done anything about it.

From my own experience, no other women's Greek organization makes any sort of judgments based on a potential new member's religious beliefs during recruitment. If AEPhi wants to focus on being a Jewish organization (which, it seems like they do if they're telling chapters that they "aren't Jewish enough"), that's fine - they just need to admit it and move on (and possibly remove themselves from Panhellenic).

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by RMT2013

From my own experience, no other women's Greek organization makes any sort of judgments based on a potential new member's religious beliefs during recruitment.

[33girl]

Oh, here go hell come.