Retro on the Rocks with a Twist?

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by susan314

I believe that DPhiE was founded as one of the only non-secretarian sororities, so they weren't specifically founded as one of the historically Jewish sororities.

I suppose on some campuses they may have a higher proportion of Jewish sisters than other groups (can't say for sure - we didn't have DPhiE on my campus), but religion wasn't a basis of their founding.

(DPhiE sisters - correct me if I made any errors regarding your history. )

And the non-sectarian founding may have attracted Jewish women who couldn't find their niche anywhere else, which may explain why they have a lot of Jewish women on certain campuses.

[DeltaBetaBaby]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

And the non-sectarian founding may have attracting Jewish women who couldn't find their niche anywhere else, which may explain why they have a lot of Jewish women on certain campuses.

There is a second force in effect. If there are traditionally Jewish sororities on your campus, and a PNM is Jewish, many chapters assume she is going to join a Jewish house. If they are limited in the number of invites they can issue, they won't want to waste one on her. I have seen this happen even when the PNM didn't express that type of preference, in much the same way a chapter would probably release a triple-leg to another chapter.

[tinydancer16]

For the love of all that is Kappa Delta --HURRY UP!!!
Sorry. I just can't help myself, I've become thoroughly engrossed. A Kappa Delta story that takes place in Maryland...it doesn't get much better!

[Leslie Anne]

Hello everyone!

Sorry for the delay, I had to take a breather and run some errands. This discussion about Jewish sororities is really interesting. To this day, I don't know for certain whether or not I would have been allowed to pledge Soccer. They are a Nationally Jewish sorority, not just a chapter that happened to have many Jewish girls at Maryland.

Going Greek: Jewish College Fraternities in the United States, 1895-1945 is on my list of books to read (right after Bound by a Mighty Vow). I might find my answer in there. But it sure would be easier, for now, to hear from members of AEPhi, DPhiE, and SDT. Were any of them at one time "Jewish Only?" If so, when did it change?


Okay, so...the rest of my story. I'm having a tough time because I'm trying to pare it down. I could just tell you really quickly "blah blah blah, blah blah blah, THE END." The thing is, that's not the way it happened. More characters entered the story and A LOT more went on. I don't want this story to become a drag though. So what should I do? A quickie ending? Full story? Full story pared down as much as possible?

Let me know (you can PM me) and I'll get on with it.

Thanks for being interested!

Leslie

[deadbear80]

My Mom has always told me that when she went through Rush in the 1960s at the University of Michigan, there were only 4 houses that 'took' Jews. 2 of them, I'm pretty sure were founded as non-sectarian (DPhiE and Phi Sig). The other 2 were definitely founded as 'Jewish' sororities (AEPhi and SDT). But she has always said that she never looked at the other houses because she was more comfortable where there were other Jews. I know they weren't discouraged from joining a house that didn't have Jews, but no one apparently did it. That and I think in 'mutual selection' both the 'non-Jewish' houses and the "Jewish" rushees would mutually drop each other. I think that Jewish girls were more attracted to houses where they felt like there were others 'like' them. Isn't that why we all joined our respective chapters in the first place? Someone in DPhiE confirm this--weren't at least some of your founders Jewish?

Contrast to when I rushed...when girls joined every NPC chapter on campus regardless of their religion. Yes, AEPhi did cater to more Jews (partially because so many of us were legacies because our Mothers/Grandmothers/etc. only joined "Jewish" houses) but they definitely took non-Jews too. I knew a girl who was a Lutheran who joined AEPhi the year we pledged. She was the only non-Jew in her pledge class. Didn't bother her one bit. I do know that some girls were a little turned off by the fact that AEPhi was 'so Jewish', but I also went to a school with a large Jewish population, so that was also probably a factor. I personally didn't join AEPhi, and joined a house that was pretty religiously mixed. There weren't that many Jews in my pledge class specifically, but I was far from the only one.

If memory serves me right, there was a time where some houses really didn't take Jews, and that had a lot to do with the Christian ideals that they were founded on. But someone PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong--aren't the NPC chapters all supposed to have non-discrimination policies nationally now?

/end hijack

[violetpretty]

Originally Posted by deadbear80

If memory serves me right, there was a time where some houses really didn't take Jews, and that had a lot to do with the Christian ideals that they were founded on. But someone PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong--aren't the NPC chapters all supposed to have non-discrimination policies nationally now?

Wouldn't you know, the only Chi Omega that I know personally (IRL) is Jewish!

[Sister Havana]

Originally Posted by violetpretty

Wouldn't you know, the only Chi Omega that I know personally (IRL) is Jewish!

Chi O at IU had a ton of Jewish sisters when I was there. In fact, I think Chi O and AXiD had the most Jewish sisters after AEPhi and SDT!

My cousin is also a Jewish Chi O.

[deadbear80]

Originally Posted by Sister Havana

Chi O at IU had a ton of Jewish sisters when I was there. In fact, I think Chi O and AXiD had the most Jewish sisters after AEPhi and SDT!

My cousin is also a Jewish Chi O.

I think it's funny both of you mentioned Chi Os...when I made the comment about sororities founded on Christian ideals--that was the sorority I had in mind; since my sister is a Chi O (and we're Jewish; duh). I know her college didn't have many Jews (although there was a "Jewish" sorority). She was happy that she was able to make up her own mind. Me too. It would've been really weird to be so limited in my choices. My Mom said that there were a lot of girls she knew (her roommate included) who were Jewish who went bidless on Bid Day if they didn't really click with the girls (and vice versa of course, due to mutual selection).

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by deadbear80

If memory serves me right, there was a time where some houses really didn't take Jews, and that had a lot to do with the Christian ideals that they were founded on. But someone PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong--aren't the NPC chapters all supposed to have non-discrimination policies nationally now?

/end hijack

Yes and yes.

Some sororities could only take Christians, some Catholics, some Mormons. Let's face it, ADPi and Phi Mu were both founded at a Methodist College - I would imagine that their first 50 some years, they only took Methodists - although I don't know this as a fact. Now, every NPC sorority has a non-discrimination policy.

[Ocalagirl]

WOW I never saw that turn coming. I am so sorry that it didn't work out the first time around, but obviously there was a happy ending in there somewhere. I am loving reading this and can't wait to read more!

[Forgetmenotivy]

Full story; the ending of the novel can make the novel a good book!

[tinydancer16]

I vote for the full story, but make it snappy sister!!