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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: ZBT's values and creeds mirror those that Brandeis holds near and dear and should be allowed a place
Letters to the Editor | 10/16/07
Posted online at 9:14 PM EST on 10/15/07
/ Last updated at 2:22 AM EST on 10/15/07
To the Editor:
When criticizing Greek life on campus, a singular point is raised again and again: that a fraternity or sorority is inherently against the character of Brandeis, as our university was founded upon the belief that one should refuse to abide by discrimination based upon creed, color, religion or heritage ("Admin orders ZBT to stop using 'Brandeis' in name," Oct. 9 issue). Zeta Beta Tau traces its origins to the very same ideals; it was created so that Jewish men would have an organization to call their own in the university culture.
In 1954, ZBT led the nation in becoming the first Greek organization to eliminate all sectarian and racial limits on membership. It truly entered into its own as a group dedicated to the betterment of its members and the world as a whole. In fact, ZBT itself comes from the Hebrew Zion Bemishpat Tipadeh, which means "Zion shall be redeemed through justice." Its credo highlights four pillars: intellectual awareness, social responsibility, integrity, and brotherly love. These are the foundations upon which ZBT brothers are to build their character, and you would be hardpressed to find criticism of those as personal guidelines. In fact, you would be hard pressed to differentiate those from the goals of Brandeis as an institution.
Judging members of an organization based upon slipshod stereotypes is the type of cognitive laziness that a liberal arts education, especially one from a university of Brandeis' caliber, is supposed to exterminate. In Matthew 7:20, it's stated, "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." All that is being asked by the brothers of ZBT is that you allow us to be judged by our actions, that our philanthropy, our campus involvement and our academic dedication, our club leadership, our personal character be the fruits by which you judge, not a hazy image from Animal House.
Discrimination against people due to skin color, religion and personal heritage is one of the worst sins one can commit, and I am proud to attend a university that asks us to shine the light of truth to blot out the darkness of those transgressions. It is because of my respect for those ideals and my unending attempts to live by them that I can loudly proclaim that I am proud to be a Zeeb.
-Elliott Flah '08
The writer is a member of Zeta Beta Tau.
When criticizing Greek life on campus, a singular point is raised again and again: that a fraternity or sorority is inherently against the character of Brandeis, as our university was founded upon the belief that one should refuse to abide by discrimination based upon creed, color, religion or heritage ("Admin orders ZBT to stop using 'Brandeis' in name," Oct. 9 issue). Zeta Beta Tau traces its origins to the very same ideals; it was created so that Jewish men would have an organization to call their own in the university culture.
In 1954, ZBT led the nation in becoming the first Greek organization to eliminate all sectarian and racial limits on membership. It truly entered into its own as a group dedicated to the betterment of its members and the world as a whole. In fact, ZBT itself comes from the Hebrew Zion Bemishpat Tipadeh, which means "Zion shall be redeemed through justice." Its credo highlights four pillars: intellectual awareness, social responsibility, integrity, and brotherly love. These are the foundations upon which ZBT brothers are to build their character, and you would be hardpressed to find criticism of those as personal guidelines. In fact, you would be hard pressed to differentiate those from the goals of Brandeis as an institution.
Judging members of an organization based upon slipshod stereotypes is the type of cognitive laziness that a liberal arts education, especially one from a university of Brandeis' caliber, is supposed to exterminate. In Matthew 7:20, it's stated, "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." All that is being asked by the brothers of ZBT is that you allow us to be judged by our actions, that our philanthropy, our campus involvement and our academic dedication, our club leadership, our personal character be the fruits by which you judge, not a hazy image from Animal House.
Discrimination against people due to skin color, religion and personal heritage is one of the worst sins one can commit, and I am proud to attend a university that asks us to shine the light of truth to blot out the darkness of those transgressions. It is because of my respect for those ideals and my unending attempts to live by them that I can loudly proclaim that I am proud to be a Zeeb.
-Elliott Flah '08
The writer is a member of Zeta Beta Tau.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Jarett Weintraub
posted 10/24/07 @ 11:07 AM EST
"Our university was founded upon the belief that one should refuse to abide by discrimination based upon creed, color, religion or heritage."
You forgot gender and economic status. (Continued…)
Michael Schakow '01, MA '01
posted 10/27/07 @ 2:49 AM EST
The "cognitive laziness" Mr. Flah so decries saturates his own argument. Mr. Flah asserts that, just like Brandeis, ZBT "belie[ves] that one should refuse to abide by discrimination based upon creed, color, religion or heritage. (Continued…)
Judi Shanok Janette '85
posted 10/30/07 @ 7:13 AM EST
Mr. Flah,
Am I missing something here? You allege in your arguement that ZBT is in alignment with the university's "belief that one should refuse to abide by discrimination based upon creed, color, religion or heritage," yet ZBT always has, and still does, tout itself as "North American's oldest and largest Jewish Fraternity. (Continued…)
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