THE DAILY COLLEGIAN
Proposed greek Jewish council sees lackluster turnout
By Adena Schwartz
COLLEGIAN STAFF WRffER I apssoo2@psu.edu
Despite an attempt to set the wheels
in motion for a new Greek Jewish Coun
cil, co-founder Ross Diamond said the
outlook is not bright for the organiza
tion's future. "I don't think anything con
structive will come out of continuing it,"
he said. "People just don't want to put
time into it"
The Greek Jewish Council had been
in the works since last semester and
was open to any member of the greek
community. The council was founded by
Diamond, a member of Phi Kappa Tau,
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408 E. Fairmount Ave.; Ethan Weinstein, Organizers said the lackluster
a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, response could have been because of a
240 E. Prospect Ave.; and Dave Meckley, lack of publicity and bad timing.
Hillel adviser. Although an e-mail was "I don't know why it failed, because
distributed to all greeks, only one per- there are plenty of Jewish people in the
son other than the three founding mem- greek community" said Avi Sadiky,
bers was in attendance at the council's president of Theta Chi fraternity, 523 S.
first meeting Feb. 16. "We thought it Allen St. "It might have been because
would be successful —we would have the meeting was held in the middle of
had an informal 45-minute service with the week. People probably didn't know
a good Kosher-style meal afterward, what it was and didn't come."
then Alpha Epsilon Pi would have had The involvement of members of the
an open social," Diamond said. "It greek community also came into play
would have been a way to have a good regarding the low turnout, Diamond
time at Shabbat, and then have fun with said. "A lot is involved with greek life,"
members of the greek community." he said. "Fraternity and sorority mem-
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bers are always doing something,
whether it is Homecoming or Greek
Week. They don't want to necessarily
branch out to another organization."
Interfraternity Council President
Brian Bertges said he was not aware of
any successful religiously affiliated
groups within the greek system, or any
other organizations.
Bertges said starting an organization
is always difficult, and said an obstacle
in the Greek Jewish Council's path
might have been the Jewish organiza
tions already in existence on campus.
"Every organization usually starts off
small it has to be a long-term com
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WEDNESDAY, March 16, 2005 I 5
mitment, and it can't happen
overnight," he said. "In my fraternity,
there are two Jewish members. I don't
think they attended the Jewish Greek
Council meeting, but they went at some
point to the Jewish group on campus
[I-lillell."
For many Jewish greek members,
though, the lack of interest stems from
personal commitment to Jewish prac
tices. "I am Jewish but not that reli
gious, so it didn't really appeal to me . ...
We didn't really have Shabbat at my
home," said Alpha Xi Delta sorority
member Randi Fields (sophomore-divi
sion of undergraduate studies).
\)' • .
x 14 5 S. Alien