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

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IntroductionMy research is divided into three sections: the past, the present and the future. AsDr. Carl Sagan famously stated, "You have to know the past to understand the present."The history of Jewish Greek organizations is a relatively unstudied area and it is centrallyimportant for readers to understand Jewish Greek life development and the important rolethat it served in the Jewish community for the first half of the 20 th century. The historyfocuses on the founding of Greek organizations, the role of Jewish organizations inresponding to antisemitism, and the struggles of a system functioning during a period ofintense anti-Jewish discrimination. The history section provides a basis forunderstanding the relationship that the Jewish Greek organizations had with the Jewishcommunal world, and how the system dealt with Jewish concerns such as intermarriage,antisemitism, and ethnic distinction. Ultimately, the history section relates how theJewish Greek System served as a microcosm of the larger Jewish community and how ithelped to nurture and train Jewish community leaders.The “present” section focuses on the three primary currently-functioning Jewishfraternities. Research was conducted through website analysis, and a series of interviewswith the executive directors of Alpha Epsilon Pi, Zeta Beta Tau and Sigma Alpha Mu.Unfortunately, only one of the three Jewish sororities responded to interview requests,therefore they are not presented in-depth in this section. This section examines theorganizations' mission statements, the philanthropies they sponsor, and their partnerships.The object is to reveal the current perceptions that Jewish Greek organizations have oftheir role in the Jewish community.1
The “future” section uses current research on informal education in the Jewishcommunity, statistics on Jewish college student involvement on campus, and analysisfrom the “past” and “present” sections, to conclude this presentation of the way in whichJewish organizations work with Jewish Greeks for the betterment of the Jewishcommunity. It is surprising and unfortunate that the Jewish Greek system has notpreviously come to the attention of Jewish communal leaders as an avenue for connectingcollege-age students with Jewish life. This thesis serves as the first exploration of thistopic. It is my hope that my research will stimulate discussion about Jewish Greek life asa vehicle for engagement and that it will prompt further research into this area.2
Page 1 and 2: The Untapped Potential of Jewis
Page 3 and 4: Jewish network, which brought Jewis
Page 5 and 6: their interest in my research, and
Page 7: Table of ContentsAcknowledgements..
Page 11 and 12: Organizations provided them with a
Page 13 and 14: organizations. Like ΦΒΚ, many fr
Page 15 and 16: fraternities to close. Despite the
Page 17 and 18: criticism progressed, the four wome
Page 19 and 20: themselves and in official document
Page 21 and 22: accepting fraternities included Phi
Page 23 and 24: Fraternities noted "undergraduates
Page 25 and 26: maintain a nonsectarian constitutio
Page 27 and 28: C. Moskowitz, played basketball for
Page 29 and 30: Ida Bienstock Landau, Minna Goldsmi
Page 31 and 32: universities, less formally educate
Page 33 and 34: The Jewish Greeks stood at the fore
Page 35 and 36: and sororities. The Council however
Page 37 and 38: Other fraternities engaged in the m
Page 39 and 40: purposes of the College Fraternity,
Page 41 and 42: Board meeting in which Alpha Epsilo
Page 43 and 44: served in the Canadian forces. 129
Page 45 and 46: eleven pounds of cakes, cookies, pr
Page 47 and 48: This act, better known as the GI Bi
Page 49 and 50: families in their own homes or care
Page 51 and 52: living. Another argued "There are m
Page 53 and 54: PresentPresently, the following org
Page 55 and 56: Responding to the absence of Jewish
Page 57 and 58: Tikkun Olam. Rabbi Isaac Luria saw
Page 59 and 60:
always be within fifteen feet of a
Page 61 and 62:
AEPI has made Jewish philanthropy a
Page 63 and 64:
cultivating a lifelong commitment t
Page 65 and 66:
ainchild of AEPI that is now run by
Page 67 and 68:
Conference (Maccabi is an affiliate
Page 69 and 70:
eferring to itself as a Jewish frat
Page 71 and 72:
Executive Vice President of America
Page 73 and 74:
Jewish fraternity. These three frat
Page 75 and 76:
through in higher education is the
Page 77 and 78:
This wave of growth centered around
Page 79 and 80:
Greek organization. A speaker able
Page 81 and 82:
Unfortunately, Greek Life is often
Page 83 and 84:
BibliographyAlpha Phi Alpha. Access
Page 85 and 86:
http://www.aepi.org/?page=TheLion."
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