Anti-Semitic Acts at USC

As alumni of the USC Greek community who happen to be Jewish, we could not help but feel a sense of sorrow that USC had to suspend a fraternity and sorority for anti-Semitic acts. Yet, in our sadness was a sigh of relief that this incident has finally brought the problem of Greek anti-Semitism to the attention of university officials.

From 1979-1983, we were members of Alpha Epsilon Phi, the only predominately Jewish sorority on the USC campus. Our many good times there were undermined by the anti-Semitic remarks and actions of other, but not all, sororities and fraternities. Yet, we always tried to hold our heads high through the adversity.

Many were afraid to join our house, feeling that they, too, would be ridiculed for either being Jewish or associating with someone who was Jewish. It was obvious to us all that most sororities on the USC campus take a small “quota” of Jewish girls to prevent any outcry of prejudice. Yet, there is no doubt that a contributing factor to the disappearance of Alpha Epsilon Phi on the USC campus has been this thinly veiled anti-Semitism.

TRACY BERLINER

ELLEN WOLFF

Los Angeles