Last Thursday, for the second time, the Interfraternity Council rejected sponsorship of Alpha Epsilon Pi, a national Jewish fraternity. And last Thursday, for the second time, the Interfraternity Council made a mistake.
I am Jewish. I am a brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. And I have not been involved in trying to establish AEPi at Dartmouth, but I sincerely believe that the IFC's decision is wrong. Fortunately, I do not believe this mistake was fueled by flagrant anti-Semitism, but rather by a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of AEPi and of the necessity of having a Dartmouth chapter.
I have heard two major arguments against AEPi. First, AEPi, as a Jewish fraternity, is self-segregating and is thus a threat to diversity and inclusivity on campus. Second, AEPi is superfluous in that there is already a Hillel, a Chabad and a sufficiently large Jewish population at Dartmouth. Incidentally, the IFC's official reason for the rejection is, "We simply felt that the Greek community could not support another fraternity at this time." In failing to realize the necessity of an AEPi here, the IFC is in some way using the second argument as its support. I acknowledge that both objections seem somewhat logical to one who knows nothing about AEPi.
However, AEPi is no more self-segregating than many existing fraternities or the fraternity system itself. Furthermore, AEPi would play a crucial role in the Dartmouth Jewish and non-Jewish community.
AEPi is not discriminatory. The final line of the AEPi mission statement on their national website (aepi.org) states "Alpha Epsilon Pi is a Jewish fraternity, though non-discriminatory and open to all who are willing to espouse its purpose and values." Still, it is a Jewish fraternity, founded upon Jewish values and traditions with the partial intentions of celebrating Jewish culture and cultivating leaders in the Jewish community. And yes, this may not sound appealing to many non-Jews. Many would still ask: even if the fraternity does not explicitly discriminate by letting in non-Jews, isn't it self-selecting in that only Jewish men have an incentive to join and isn't that probably de facto segregation or discrimination?
The answer is no. Fraternities by nature are self-selecting -- and arguably self-segregating. Someone chooses which fraternities he will rush based on where he feels most comfortable, which often translates to the place where the members have a common set of interests aligned with his. Furthermore, fraternities select some and reject others based on who they feel would make a good contribution to their organization, which often equates to choosing men whose perspectives and interests are similar to those collective to the fraternities.
I rushed and was eventually selected by Sig Ep because that is where I felt the most brothers shared my interests and attitudes. If I were on the Dartmouth football team, I would probably be a member of Gamma Delta Chi fraternity; or if I were on the hockey team, there is a distinct chance I would be at Chi Heorot fraternity. While these are only sports teams and not religions, the underlying principle is the same: fraternities are groups of men usually with shared interests, personalities, beliefs and even backgrounds. That is simply the nature of fraternities.
These Dartmouth men are benignly trying to start AEPi because they share certain things in common that are not represented by any of the other 13 Dartmouth fraternities. If AEPi does not deny non-Jews the opportunity to rush and provides fair consideration to non-Jews, as other fraternities do with those who may not fit in with their house's majority, then it should be perfectly acceptable. Furthermore, unlike other specialized fraternities, there is no requirement that prohibits pledges from speaking to members outside of the fraternity. This in turn will help alleviate concerns about self-segregation. If there is a problem with self-segregation in the fraternity system as a whole (a different debate), then better solutions are needed than the rejection of AEPi.
Secondly, AEPi is not superfluous; it is a necessity. There is a Hillel and a Chabad on campus, and both of these Jewish organizations are integral to the Jewish community, but they are centered upon the religious aspects of Judaism. As explained in its national mission, AEPi focuses primarily on the cultural and social aspects of Judaism. And there is a strong need for a less religiously-focused Jewish group at Dartmouth.
Being Jewish is different than belonging to other ethnicities, races, religions and nationalities in that a major concern is assimilation. This is a touchy subject. Promoting inclusivity and diversity are extremely important, and preventing assimilation appears antithetical to these goals. However, unlike other community identities, Jewish identity is something that can be lost if future generations stray too far from it. I am not saying there are not distinctive cultures, traditions, beliefs, etc., that unify other groups, and I am not saying that an African-American would want his children to forget their cultural past or that an Asian-American would want his children to lose their national identity or national pride.
What I am saying is that, even among "secular" or non-religious Jews, especially amongst "secular" or non-religious Jews, the only thing keeping them Jewish is this continuity, this prevention from full assimilation. This is especially important in light of the small world Jewish population. AEPi, in its unique position as a national fraternity, provides a place on campus for sustaining these Jewish traditions and values, and it provides, on a national level, a large Jewish social network. AEPi is an important national institution, which helps ensure the continuity of Judaism.
In conclusion, 123 colleges throughout the country, including the seven other Ivy League institutions, have AEPi chapters on campus and perceive them as normal and not self-segregating. Is Dartmouth more enlightened, seeing something no one else does? Absolutely not. Dartmouth's community, especially the Dartmouth Greek community, has simply fallen victim to a fundamental misunderstanding. These men trying to establish an AEPi do no want to divide the campus or the Greek system. They want to make their lives on campus more fulfilling and to enrich the diversity of this school.
