The Rebekah Lodges were founded on 20 September 1851, when, after considerable debate, the Sovereign Grand Lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows voted to adopt the Rebekah Degree, largely due to the efforts of an Odd Fellow named Schuyler Colfax.
The first Rebekah Degrees were honorary awards only, conferred on wives and daughters of Odd Fellows at special Lodge meetings, and recipients were known as "Daughters of Rebekah." The name is taken from the Biblical character of Rebekah.
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| Rebekah at the Well. Painting by Michael Deas. |
On September 25, 1868, the IOOF voted to establish Degree Lodges of the Daughters of Rebekah, mirroring the existing arrangements for their male counterparts. The Daughters were given the right to elect their own officers, charge for initiation fees, collect dues and undertake charitable and benevolent activities. The name was changed to "Degree of Rebekah" in 1874.
Originally membership was open to wives and daughter of Odd Fellows who had obtained the Scarlett Degree, as well as Odd Fellows of that degree themselves. In 1894 membership opened to all single women over 18, as well as wives, widows and daughters of Odd Fellows.
On January 1, 1898 there were 297,691 members of the Rebekah Degree. In 1923 it had grown to 1,021,297 members. In 1977 there were 331,844 members of the Rebekahs Assemblies, as well as 34,337 Odd Fellows who belong to both orders.
Famous Rebekahs:
- Lucy Hobbs Taylor, first woman dentist in the US (1833-1910)
- Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady of the United States
- Doreen Patterson Reitsma, Wren in the Royal Canadian Navy, who in 1955 inspired Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent and his cabinet to create a permanent and fully integrated regular force for women in the Royal Canadian Navy.
- Bina West, one of the leaders of the Ladies of the Maccabees in 1920 and the 1915 founder of what later became the North American Benefit Association, promoting insurance benefits for women.
Odd Fellow and Rebekah lodges allow female and male members, but while both females and males may hold an Odd Fellow office, only female may hold the highest Rebekah offices.
Theta Rho Clubs are the junior order of the Rebekahs and are open to young females ages 8-18 depending on jurisdiction. The clubs functions under the supervision of Oddfellows, who are superior in organizational authority to both the Rebekahs and the Theta Rhos. Membership was 14,150 in 1969 and 13,577 in 1970
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, education to the community, and behavioral health care services to children and families living in Santa Clara, Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties.