Rebecca Shapiro Thesis (11 May 2011).pdf - Brandeis Institutional ...

eveal that on February 13, 1924, the fraternity raised $210 (worth $2,621.35 today) forthe Jewish Theological Seminary's endowment drive. 102Similarly, Sammy (∑AM) committed not to hold business meetings from Fridaynight through Saturday at sundown, out of respect for the Jewish Sabbath. In 1922,Sammy also called for mandatory Jewish history studies in the pledge process, monthlylectures on Jewish topics, participation in Jewish communal affairs and participation fromthe fraters in Jewish rituals such as Passover. 103 In 1928, they celebrated their 18 thanniversary, which they called their "Chai" Anniversary. 104 During the 1920's AEPhisorority adopted a philanthropy to fund a scholarship for women to attend classes inJewish education at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. 105Members of OmicronAlpha Tau fraternity traditionally observed dietary laws in the fraternity houses. 106Meanwhile, ZBT, adopted an initiation ritual in the 1920s in which pledges were asked"Who art thou that seeketh admittance within our gates?" Initiates responded "A believerin God and the Brotherhood of Man; I am a Jew." Initiates were also required to read oneor two books of Jewish history and participate in an oral examination. 107The escalation of discrimination against Jewish students led to the formation ofthe Council on American Jewish Student Affairs. Harold Reigelman, head of ZBT,spearheaded this group to operate as an informal Jewish inter-fraternity council. Thegroup sought to organize the heads of the Jewish fraternities, similar to the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) that governs the nine historically African American fraternities102 Toll, 103103 Sanua, 151104 Sanua, 111105 "The First 100 Years » AEPhi," AEPhi, accessed April 28, 2011,http://www.aephi.org/aephi_story/history/.106 Sanua, 177107 Sanua, Here's To Our Fraternity, 7927