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Daughters of Rebekah




The Daughters of Rebekah (Rebekahs), is an international fraternal and service organization basically for women although men are allowed to join. It is a part of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

A women need not be related to an Odd Fellow to be a member of the Rebekahs as long as she meets the moral, ethical and age requirement for admission may join. In most jurisdictions, women aging 18 and above can join the Rebekah Lodge.

Philosophy and Purpose
The general duties of the members of this unit are, “To live peaceably, do good unto all, as we have opportunity and especially to obey the Golden Rule, Whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you, do ye even so unto them.” Together with the Odd Fellows, the Rebekahs:
 * manage some 80 Odd Fellow and Rebekah Homes which provides a caring environment for the elderly and orphans
 * spend over $775 million in relief projects annually
 * The Educational Foundation provides substantial loans and grants to students
 * SOS Children’s Village provides a caring home for orphaned children in 132 countries around the world
 * Living Legacy focuses on planting trees and enhancing the environment
 * The Arthritis Foundation
 * Visual Research Foundation supports vision care and research through the Wilmer Eye Institute
 * United Nations Pilgrimage for Youth sponsors a group of students for an educational trip to the United Nations
 * Annual sponsorship of a float in the Rose Parade (Pasadena, California)
 * Annual pilgrimages to the "Tomb of the Unknowns" (Arlington National Cemetery, USA), and other Tombs of the Unknown Soldier.[11]

According to IOOF website, becoming a Rebekah offers many opportunities to :


 * Understand the principles of Friendship, Love, and Truth
 * Be involved in leadership training applicable to everyday life.
 * Have a more purposeful life.
 * Develop enduring friendships far and wide.
 * Become an active participant in your community.
 * Broaden your mind.
 * help children, the elderly, and the less fortunate.
 * develop an inner satisfaction that money cannot buy.
 * have a warm friendly welcome in strange cities and distant lands.
 * have companionship at a time of loneliness.
 * enlarge your circle of friends.
 * use your talents to help others
 * have fun

History
Odd Fellows, recognizing the need for a woman's touch and her helpfulness in carrying out the principles of Odd Fellowship, brought into being the Rebekah degree, founded upon the principles of faithfulness, hospitality, purity and dedication to the principles of the Order as portrayed by women characters of the Bible.

The Odd Fellows is considered the first fraternal organization to accept women when the Daughters of Rebekah was founded on September 20, 1851 by the Honorable Schuyler Colfax. The degree was originally written for Brothers to confer on their wives and daughters and was considered an "Honorary Degree". The degree could only be conferred at a special meeting and Brothers could also receive the degree, much the same as today. Later the Sisters were allowed to confer the degree on other Sisters, a ritual was adopted with the Sisters taking the parts. Rebekah Lodges were instituted and have continued to flourish.

This ritual has changed very little since 1851. It includes lessons from the biblical stories in the Old Testament of the women of the Bible. Though the term sorority was not yet coined when it was founded, it may be considered that the Rebekahs is the oldest sorority in the world.

Symbolism
The emblems employed in the work of the degree, each having a beautiful significance and an appropriate application, are:
 * The Beehive, a representation of cooperative industry teaching the advantages of united efforts in all the noble ministries of the Order.
 * The Moon and Seven Stars represents the never failing order which pervades the universe of God and all of nature, and suggest to the members the value of system, regularity and precision in all worthy undertakings
 * The Dove, a universally recognized emblem of peace, has this significance in the Rebekah Degree. Through the mission of love and charity, of tolerance and forbearance, Rebekahs are to strive to bring happiness to others and to promote “Peace on earth and good will to men.”
 * The Lily, regarded for untold ages as the emblem of purity, is a fitting symbol of the purity of character, of thought, of word, and of action which should always be found and manifested in the heart and life of members of the Rebekah Lodge.

The Founder
Schuyler Colfax, Founder of the Rebekah Degree, was born in New York City on March 23 1823, a few months following the death of his father. His mother married George W. Mathews and the family migrated to New Castle, Indiana in 1836 where his stepfather operated a general store and post office. Colfax, while working in his stepfather's store, began the study of law and a little later became a part-time reporter for the South Bend Free Press. In 1846 he became affiliated with South Bend Lodge No. 29, and after serving a Noble Grand and a Representative to the Grand Lodge of Indiana he was elected as Grand Representative to the Grand Lodge of the United States in 1850.

Colfax, along with Martin of Mississippi and Steel of Tennessee, were appointed to prepare a Ritual pertaining to the Rebekah Degree and report at the 1851 session. At the 1851 session, the Committee headed by Schuyler Colfax made its report which resulted in one of the fierce verbal battles in the history of the Order. The proponents prevailed by a vote of 46 for the Rebekah Degree with 37 against. Thus the Rebekah Degree was authorized on September 20, 1851. The beautiful Rebekah Degree, using the Biblical story of Rebekah, offered the wives, daughters, widows, and sisters of Odd Fellows and opportunity to aid in the relief of distress and other humanitarian deeds The Rebekah Degree, while originally an honorary degree, now is open to include any female of 16 years, if the local jurisdiction so legislates, and thus places womanhood in a position where she can render valuable cooperation in the work of all facets of our fraternity. A Rebekah can now attest to her claims of nobility of character, faithfulness in friendship, sacrificing love and perseverance in all that is good and true.

Schuyler Colfax, whom we revere as the author of the Rebekah Degree, was a lecturer, editor, Statesman, Vice President of the United States and most of all a true Odd Fellow. Towering resplendent in South Bend, Indiana is a monument to his memory, and ever present witness to his efforts for his beloved Fraternity - The Independent Order of Odd Fellows

Rebekah Children's Services
Rebekah Children's Services is a public benefit corporation founded in 1897 by the California Rebekah Lodge as an orphanage. They now provide foster care placement and support services, parent support, prevention and early specific needs of the child and family whenever categorical services do not work. Their services include outpatient therapy and education to the community and behavioral health care services to children living in the Gilroy Unified School district.

Today
Rebekah Lodges are still active in the United States despite the fact that the IOOF now accepts women as full members in the United States. There are male and female Rebekah members. There are also Rebekah Lodges in Europe and South America.

Girls too young for membership in the Rebekahs may join the Theta Rho Girls' Clubs, just as boys can join Junior IOOF Lodges. Rebekahs observe the IOOF creed of "Friendship, Love and Truth", and are engaged in many social and charitable activities worldwide.