Jewish culture and the Greek system will merge in the newly created Greek Jewish Council, which is designed to provide Jewish University students with new outlets for social interaction.
The GJC will function largely as an umbrella organization for all Jewish students involved in the Greek system, said Elizabeth Levy, GJC vice president and a second-year College student.
The GJC gained official Contracted Independent Organization status two weeks ago. Several students began discussing last spring the possibility of reviving the GJC that existed several years ago at the University.
Aaron Laushway, assistant dean of students for fraternity and sorority life, said the GJC will provide Jewish students a "vehicle to share their culture and their faith and their Greek affiliation."
The GJC will sponsor a "Go Greek" night for all interested first years in Webb Lounge on Sunday evening. Members of various fraternities and sororities will answer questions about the Greek system and encourage Jewish student interest in the GJC, Levy said.
According to Levy, one of the first questions Jewish prospective students ask is whether or not the University has a Jewish sorority or fraternity.
The University, which is 11 percent Jewish, does not have a fraternity or sorority with 100 percent Jewish membership. Alpha Epsilon Pi, Zeta Beta Tau and Sigma Alpha Mu fraternities are all nationally recognized Jewish fraternities but do not have fully Jewish membership at the University.
However, most of the University's fraternities and sororities have Jewish members, Levy said.
Large universities such as the University of Maryland, Tulane University, the University of Georgia, American University and the University of Michigan often have at least one Jewish fraternity and sorority and many have a council similar to the GJC.
The GJC's religious affiliation will prohibit it from acquiring funding from the Student Council Appropriations Committee. But Elizabeth Alowitz will provide some of the funding for the GJC from her budget allotment as Steinhardt Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellow to the Hillel Jewish Center at the University.
Alowitz receives a separate budget apart from Hillel's because her job description involves a different type of outreach to Jewish students. She reaches out to non-active Jewish students to encourage them to attend activities and social events where they can "do something Jewish with other Jewish students."
Hillel primarily focuses on students already religiously involved.
Hillel has never specifically served the Greek Jewish population and the GJC will provide a means for reaching those students, Alowitz said. The GJC and Hillel will "complement each other," she added.
At universities where students are involved in Greek Jewish Councils, students are very active and the cultural and social programming is strong, Alowitz said.
The GJC will sponsor a Hanukkah party for interested students next week. It is also planning events for next semester, including a Passover celebration and a philanthropy project.
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