This is a list of historically Jewish fraternities and sororities in the United States and Canada. [1] [2] These organizations exemplify (or exemplified) a range of "Jewishness"; some are historically Jewish in origin but later became strictly secular. Some remain more celebratory of their Jewish roots from a historical perspective only, and some actively promote Jewish culture and religious traditions within their current program. [3]
The terms "fraternity" and "sorority" are used somewhat interchangeably, with men's and co-ed groups always using "fraternity", and women's groups using either "fraternity" or "sorority". For convenience, the term "Greek letter society" is a generic substitute. The word "Greek" in this case refers to the use of Greek letters for each society's name, and not to Greek ethnicity.
The following list include the larger groups. There were many Jewish local chapters formed at universities around the United States, most of which eventually became a chapter of these larger entities. Bold indicates active groups. Italic indicates dormant groups, or those which merged into another, larger society.
Name | Symbols | Charter date and range | Founding location | Affiliation | Scope | Active chapters | Status | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alpha Epsilon Pi | ΑΕΠ | November 7, 1913 | New York University | FFC | International | 146 | Active | [1] |
Alpha Eta Phi | ΑΗΦ | February 22, 1922–19xx ? | 0 | Inactive | [4] | |||
Alpha Mu Sigma | ΑΜΣ | March 1914–1963 | Cooper Union | Independent | National | 0 | Inactive, Merged | [4] |
Beta Sigma Rho | ΒΣΡ | October 12, 1910–1920 | Cornell University | NIC | National | 0 | Merged | [5] [a] [b] |
Hai Resh | November 8, 1908–19xx ? | 0 | Merged | [4] [c] | ||||
Kappa Nu | ΚΝ | November 12, 1911–1961 | University of Rochester | NIC | National | 0 | Merged | [d] |
Mu Alpha Delta | ΜΑΔ | 1923–19xx ? | City University of New York | National | 0 | Inactive | [6] | |
Mu Sigma | ΜΣ | 1906–19xx ? | 0 | Inactive | [4] | |||
Omicron Alpha Tau | ΟΑΤ | May 1912–1934 | Cornell University | NIC | National | 0 | Merged | [e] |
Phi Alpha | ΦΑ | October 14, 1914–1959 | George Washington University | NIC | National | 0 | Merged | [f] |
Phi Beta Delta | ΦΒΔ | 1912–1941 | Columbia University | NIC | National | 0 | Merged | [g] |
Phi Delta Mu | ΦΔΜ | 1920–c. 1935–1940 | City University of New York | National | 0 | Inactive | [7] [4] [8] [h] | |
Phi Delta Pi | ΦΔΠ | 1899–c. 1955 | New York City, New York | National | 0 | Merged | [6] [9] [i] | |
Phi Epsilon Pi | ΦΕΠ | November 13, 1904–1970 | New York City, New York | NIC | International | 0 | Merged | [j] |
Phi Lambda Delta | ΦΛΔ | 1920–19xx ? | Columbia University | Regional | 0 | Inactive | [6] [k] | |
Phi Sigma Delta | ΦΣΔ | November 10, 1909–1970 | Columbia University | NIC | National | 0 | Merged | [l] |
Pi Lambda Phi | ΠΛΦ | March 21, 1895 | Yale University | NIC | International | 44 | Active | [1] [m] |
Pi Tau Pi | ΠΤΠ | November 9, 1909–19xx ? | National | 0 | Inactive | [4] | ||
Sigma Alpha Mu | ΣΑΜ | November 26, 1909 | City College of New York | NIC | International | 50 | Active | [1] [n] |
Sigma Lambda Pi | ΣΛΠ | 1915–1932 | New York University | Independent | National | 0 | Merged | [4] [o] |
Sigma Omega Psi | ΣΩΨ | 1914–1940 | College of the City of New York | National | 0 | Merged | [1] : VIII-22 [p] | |
Sigma Tau Epsilon | ΣΤΕ | 1923–19xx ? | National | 0 | Inactive | [4] | ||
Sigma Tau Phi | ΣΤΦ | 1918–1947 | University of Pennsylvania | National | 0 | Merged | [q] [r] | |
Tau Delta Mu | ΤΔΜ | 1920–19xx ? | City University of New York | National | 0 | Inactive | [6] [s] | |
Tau Delta Phi | ΤΔΦ | June 10, 1910 | New York City, New York | NIC | National | 5 | Active | [1] [t] |
Tau Epsilon Phi | ΤΕΦ | October 10, 1910 | Columbia University | NIC | International | 25 | Active | |
Tau Sigma Omicron | ΤΣΟ | 1917–19xx ? | National | 0 | Merged | [6] [u] | ||
Zeta Beta Tau | ΖΒΤ | December 29, 1898 | Jewish Theological Seminary | NIC | International | 82 | Active | [v] |
Name | Symbols | Charter date and range | Founding location | Location | Affiliation | Scope | Active chapters | Status | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alpha Epsilon Phi | ΑΕΦ | October 24, 1909 | Barnard College | New York, New York | NPC | National | 50 | Active | [1] |
Delta Phi Epsilon | ΔΦΕ | March 17, 1917 | New York University Law School | New York, New York | NPC | International | 110 | Active | [a] |
Delta Pi | ΔΠ | November 2, 1989 | York University | York, Canada | Independent | Regional | 4 | Active | [10] |
Iota Alpha Pi | ΙΑΠ | March 3, 1903–July 1971 | New York City Normal College (now Hunter College) | New York, New York | NPC | International | 0 | Inactive | [4] |
Pi Alpha Tau | ΠΑΤ | May 1917–c. 1950 | Hunter College | New York, New York | Independent | National | 0 | Inactive | |
Phi Sigma Sigma | ΦΣΣ | November 26, 1913 | Hunter College | New York, New York | NPC | National | 115 | Active | [a] |
Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi | ΣΑΕΠ | October 1, 1998 | University of California, Davis | Davis, California | Independent | National | 12 | Active | |
Sigma Delta Tau | ΣΔΤ | March 25, 1917 | Cornell University | Ithaca, New York | NPC | National | 64 | Active | [1] |
Zeta Beta Omega | ΖΒΩ | December 3, 2018 | University of Toronto, St. George Campus | Toronto, Canada | Independent | Local | 1 | Active | [11] |
Information on the continuing activity of some of these societies may be missing. Active groups are listed in bold. Inactive groups are listed in italic.
Name | Symbols | Charter date and range | Founding location | Focus | Affiliation | Scope | Active chapters | Status | Notes | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alelph Yodh He | איה | 1907–1921 | Chicago College of Medicine and Surgery | Medical | National | 0 | Merged | [b] | ||
Alpha Omega | ΑΩ | December 20, 1907 | Baltimore, Maryland | Dental | Independent | International | 125 | Active | [1] | |
Alpha Zeta Gamma | ΑΖΓ | 1910–September 17, 1932 | Chicago College of Dental Surgery | Dental | Independent | National | 0 | Merged | [12] [c] | |
Alpha Zeta Omega | ΑΖΩ | December 19, 1919 | Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science | Pharmacy | Independent | National | 42 | Active | coed | [d] |
Iota Theta | ΙΘ | 1918–19xx ? | Law | 0 | Inactive | |||||
Kappa Epsilon Phi | ΚΕΦ | 1930–19xx ? | Alfred University | Engineering | National | 0 | Inactive | [e] | ||
Lambda Alpha Phi | ΛΑΦ | 1919–19xx ? | Law | 0 | Inactive | [4] | ||||
Lambda Gamma Phi | ΛΓΦ | October 21, 1921–19xx ? | Law | 0 | Inactive | |||||
Lambda Epsilon Xi | ΛΕΞ | 1936 or earlier–19xx ? | Law | 0 | Inactive | [13] | ||||
Lambda Omicron Gamma | ΛΟΓ | 1924 | Osteopaths | Active | ||||||
Mu Beta Chi | ΜΒΧ | 1933–19xx ? | Business | 0 | Inactive | [14] | ||||
Mu Sigma Pi | ΜΣΠ | January 18, 1932–19xx ? | Optometrists | 0 | Inactive | |||||
Nu Beta Epsilon | ΝΒΕ | 1919 | Columbus, Ohio | Law | National | 15 | Active | coed | ||
Phi Delta Epsilon | ΦΔΕ | 1903 | Cornell University Medical College | Medical | PFA | International | 182 | Active | coed | [4] |
Phi Lambda Kappa | ΦΛΚ | 1907 | University of Pennsylvania | Medical | International | 41 | Active | coed | ||
Phi Sigma Mu | ΦΣΜ | 1932–19xx ? | Omaha University Night Law School | Law | Local | 0 | Inactive | [15] [f] | ||
Rho Pi Phi | ΡΠΦ | January 3, 1919 | Massachusetts College of Pharmacy | Pharmacy | PFA | National | Active | coed | ||
Sigma Epsilon Delta | ΣΕΔ | 1901–19xx ? | University of Pennsylvania | Dental | Local | 0 | Inactive | [g] | ||
Sigma Iota Zeta | ΣΙΖ | 1933–19xx ? | Veterinarians | 0 | Inactive | |||||
Tau Epsilon Rho Law Society | ΤΕΡ | 1921 | Western Reserve University School | Law | National | Active | [16] [h] |
Information on the continuing activity of some of these societies may be missing. Known active groups are listed in bold; dormant groups are listed in italics.
Name | Symbols | Charter date and range | Founding location | Type | Scope | Active chapters | Status | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aleph Zadik Aleph | אצא | 1924 | Omaha, Nebraska | Fraternity | International | Active | ||
BBG (BBYO) | בבג | 1944 | Sorority | International | Active | |||
Iota Phi | ΙΦ | Sorority | National | 0 | Inactive | [17] | ||
Phi Beta | ΦΒ | 1920–19xx ? | Faternity | National | 0 | Inactive | [4] [a] | |
Phi Sigma Beta | ΦΣΒ | June 22, 1910 | Fraternity | 0 | Inactive | [18] [b] | ||
Phi Sigma Sigma | ΦΣΣ | |||||||
Pi Upsilon Phi | ΠΥΦ | Fraternity | National | 0 | Inactive | [19] | ||
Sigma Alpha Rho | ΣΑΡ | November 18, 1917 | West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Fraternity | International | Active | ||
Sigma Theta Pi | ΣΘΠ | 1909 | Sorority | National | 0 | Inactive | [20] [21] [22] [c] | |
Upsilon Lambda Phi | ΥΛΦ | April 5, 1916 | 0 | Inactive |
The expansion of Greek letter organizations into Canada was an important stage of the North American fraternity movement, beginning in 1879 with the establishment of a chapter of Zeta Psi at the University of Toronto. In 1883, the same fraternity established a chapter at McGill University. Other early foundations were Kappa Alpha Society at Toronto in 1892 and at McGill in 1899, and Alpha Delta Phi at Toronto in 1893 and at McGill in 1897. The first sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, was established in Toronto in 1887. In 1902, the first international chapter of Phi Delta Theta was established at McGill University as the Quebec Alpha.
Alpha Kappa Pi (ΑΚΠ) was an American collegiate social fraternity founded in 1921 at the Newark College of Engineering. In 1946, it merged with Alpha Sigma Phi.
Theta Sigma Upsilon (ΘΣΥ) was an American sorority founded on March 25, 1921 at Emporia State University. It chartered 23 chapters in the United States. The sorority merged with Alpha Gamma Delta on June 29, 1959.
Kappa Nu (ΚΝ) was an American college fraternity that was active from 1911 to 1961 when it merged with Phi Epsilon Pi.
Sigma Delta Rho (ΣΔΡ) was a small American's men's fraternity founded on January 8, 1921 at Miami University of Ohio, the fifth general social fraternity to be formed at that school. It "disintegrated" in the spring of 1935 due to pressures of the Great Depression and "absence of strong leadership." About half its chapters were absorbed into other fraternities.