List of Jewish fraternities and sororities

1949 Jewish fraternity and sorority gathering in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, U.S.

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 historic 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.

Collegiate

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.

Social fraternities

Name	Symbols	Chartered/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] [lower-alpha 1] [lower-alpha 2]
Hai Resh		November 8, 1908–19xx ?				0	Merged	[4] [lower-alpha 3]
Kappa Nu	ΚΝ	November 12, 1911–1961	University of Rochester	NIC	National	0	Merged	[lower-alpha 4]
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	[lower-alpha 5]
Phi Alpha	ΦΑ	October 14, 1914–1959	George Washington University	NIC	National	0	Merged	[lower-alpha 6]
Phi Beta Delta	ΦΒΔ	1912–1941	Columbia University	NIC	National	0	Merged	[lower-alpha 7]
Phi Delta Mu	ΦΔΜ	1920–c. 1935–1940	City University of New York		National	0	Inactive	[7] [4] [8] [lower-alpha 8]
Phi Delta Pi	ΦΔΠ	1899–c. 1955	New York City, New York		National	0	Merged	[6] [9] [lower-alpha 9]
Phi Epsilon Pi	ΦΕΠ	November 13, 1904–1970	New York City, New York	NIC	International	0	Merged	[lower-alpha 10]
Phi Lambda Delta	ΦΛΔ	1920–19xx ?	Columbia University		Regional	0	Inactive	[6] [lower-alpha 11]
Phi Sigma Delta	ΦΣΔ	November 10, 1909–1970	Columbia University	NIC	National	0	Merged	[lower-alpha 12]
Pi Lambda Phi	ΠΛΦ	March 21, 1895	Yale University	NIC	International	44	Active	[1] [lower-alpha 13]
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] [lower-alpha 14]
Sigma Lambda Pi	ΣΛΠ	1915–1932	New York University	Independent	National	0	Merged	[4] [lower-alpha 15]
Sigma Omega Psi	ΣΩΨ	1914–1940	College of the City of New York		National	0	Merged	[1] : VIII-22  [lower-alpha 16]
Sigma Tau Epsilon	ΣΤΕ	1923–19xx ?			National	0	Inactive	[4]
Sigma Tau Phi	ΣΤΦ	1918–1947	University of Pennsylvania		National	0	Merged	[lower-alpha 17] [lower-alpha 18]
Tau Delta Mu	ΤΔΜ	1920–19xx ?	City University of New York		National	0	Inactive	[6] [lower-alpha 19]
Tau Delta Phi	ΤΔΦ	June 10, 1910	New York City, New York	NIC	National	5	Active	[1] [lower-alpha 20]
Tau Epsilon Phi	ΤΕΦ	October 10, 1910	Columbia University	NIC	International	25	Active
Tau Sigma Omicron	ΤΣΟ	1917–19xx ?			National	0	Merged	[6] [lower-alpha 21]
Zeta Beta Tau	ΖΒΤ	December 29, 1898	Jewish Theological Seminary	NIC	International	82	Active	[lower-alpha 22]

Notes

1. Started as Beta Samach. The second symbol in the name was Hebrew. Beta Samach changed its name with the chartering of its third chapter, becoming Beta Sigma Rho.
2. Merged with Pi Lambda Phi in 1920.
3. Merged with Pi Tau Pi.
4. Merged with Phi Epsilon Pi in 1961.
5. Merged with Tau Delta Phi in 1934.
6. Merged with Phi Sigma Delta in 1959.
7. Merged with Pi Lambda Phi in 1941.
8. Cornell's Zeta chapter merged into Phi Beta Delta in 1935.
9. Merged with Tau Kappa Epsilon.
10. Merged with Zeta Beta Tau in 1970.
11. Expanded to five chapters.
12. Merged with Zeta Beta Tau in 1970.
13. Founded as non-sectarian but was predominantly Jewish until the end of World War II.
14. The fraternity dropped its Jewish affiliation and became open to men of all faiths in 1953.
15. The Rider University chapter of Sigma Lambda Pi retained the former national's name as a local, later adding a second chapter. Both are dormant. Merged with Phi Epsilon Pi.
16. Three active chapters merged with Alpha Epsilon Pi in 1940.
17. Originally only admitted Jewish men in the fields of Engineering and Architecture but changed to all Jewish men after the addition of a second chapter.
18. Merged with Alpha Epsilon Pi in 1947.
19. Expanded to around ten chapters.
20. Tau Delta Phi was the first NIC fraternity to integrate by welcoming all races, creeds, ethnicities, and religions in 1945, and was the first to open membership to include transgender, gender fluid, and non-binary members in February 2021.
21. Seven chapters merged with Alpha Epsilon Pi.
22. Originally a Zionist youth society, its became nonsectarian and opened to non-Jewish members in 1954. Considered the first Jewish fraternity.

Social sororities

Name	Symbols	Chartered/Range	Founding institution	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	[lower-alpha 1]
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	[lower-alpha 1]
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]

Professional

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	Chartered/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		[lower-alpha 2]
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] [lower-alpha 3]
Alpha Zeta Omega	ΑΖΩ	December 19, 1919	Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science	Pharmacy	Independent	National	42	Active	coed	[lower-alpha 4]
Iota Theta	ΙΘ	1918–19xx ?		Law			0	Inactive
Kappa Epsilon Phi	ΚΕΦ	1930–19xx ?	Alfred University	Engineering		National	0	Inactive		[lower-alpha 5]
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] [lower-alpha 6]
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		[lower-alpha 7]
Sigma Iota Zeta	ΣΙΖ	1933–19xx ?		Veterinarians			0	Inactive
Tau Epsilon Rho Law Society	ΤΕΡ	1921	Western Reserve University School	Law		National		Active		[16] [lower-alpha 8]

Notes

1. Although their founders were Jewish, Delta Phi Epsilon and Phi Sigma Sigma are historically nonsectarian sororities.
2. Merged with Phi Lambda Kappa
3. Merged with Alpha Omega.
4. Originally known as the Dead Men's Club.
5. The Alfred University chapter was founded in 1930, became Kappa Nu in 1933. The Ohio State chapter was founded in 1935 and lasted two years. No information in Baird's.
6. Not to be confused with the fictional fraternity of the same name, from the movie G.O.A.T.
7. Baird's 1923 edition has this as a local at Penn; may have expanded to multiple chapters.
8. Tau Epsilon Rho formed in 1921 by the merger of the local Lambda Eta Chi Law Fraternity, established in 1919 at Western Reserve University School of Law, and the local Phi Epsilon Rho, established in 1921 at Ohio State University Law School. Both groups were Jewish law fraternities. It became the Tau Epsilon Rho Law Society in 1985.

High school

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	Chartered/Range	Founding location	Type	Scope	Active Chapters	Status	Reference
Aleph Zadik Aleph	אצא	1924	Omaha, Nebraska	Fraternity	International		Active
BBG (BBYO)		1944		Sorority	International		Active
Iota Phi	ΙΦ			Sorority	National	0	Inactive	[17]
Phi Beta	ΦΒ	1920–19xx ?		Faternity	National	0	Inactive	[4] [lower-alpha 1]
Phi Sigma Beta	ΦΣΒ	June 22, 1910		Fraternity		0	Inactive	[18] [lower-alpha 2]
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] [lower-alpha 3]
Upsilon Lambda Phi	ΥΛΦ	April 5, 1916				0	Inactive

Notes

1. Not to be confused with the professional fraternity for the creative and performing arts.
2. Became ΤΔΦ collegiate fraternity in 1914.
3. Not to be confused with the international sorority with a similar name, Sigma Thêta Pi, founded in 2003, nor the local Christian fraternity at Howard Payne University, founded in 2004.

See also

• List of Jewish universities and colleges in the United States
• Defunct North American collegiate sororities
• List of social fraternities and sororities
• Cultural interest fraternities and sororities

References

1. Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. ISBN   978-0963715906. Baird's Manual is also available online here: The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
2. Sanua, Marianne Rachel (2003), Going Greek: Jewish College Fraternities in the United States, 1895–1945, Wayne State University Press, ISBN   0-8143-2857-1
3. An example of the former is Tau Delta Phi, a Jewish heritage fraternity that became non-sectarian in 1932. Tau Delta Phi was ethnically Jewish, but not religiously Jewish when it was founded in 1910. Its earliest members were ethnically Jewish but were from all different religious backgrounds. That Fraternity is therefore often grouped with other Jewish fraternities but has long shifted toward a primary identification as "secular".
4. Jewish National organizations in the United States, 1941-42 edition, accessed 27 Jan 2020.
5. "Beta Samach Changed to Beta Sigma Rho", The Cornell Daily Sun, vol. 40, no. 146, p. 6, April 22, 1920
6. Listed in Baird's Archive online , accessed 24 Jan 2021.
7. Alpha Kappa Pi notes a chapter of Phi Delta Mu at Newark College of Engineering in their magazine, accessed 27 Jan 2020.
8. The organization may have existed beyond 1935. In addition to the CCNY and Cornell chapters, this article references chapters in Lewiston and Portland, Maine, in 1940. Were these at campuses of the University of Southern Maine? Article accessed 26 Jan 2020. From a cursory Google search there appears to have been a chapter at Columbia. Unaffiliated: There may have been a similarly-named but unaffiliated sorority at Drexel University, and a high school sorority of the same name.
9. Per Baird's, the Alpha chapter of this four-chapter fraternity joined Tau Kappa Epsilon at Eastern Michigan; the others appear to have scattered.
10. "Delta Pi Sorority". Delta Pi Sorority. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
11. "Toronto Jewish Sorority | Zeta Beta Omega Jewish Sorority". Zeta Beta Omega. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
12. Journal of the American Dental Association 1932-1933
13. Noted in the Minnesota Gopher yearbooks for 1938-'52, with scattered reference to alumni from other schools.
14. Archive notes from the University of Minnesota library note the group's founding as the Minnesota Business Club, and soon chartering clubs in Ohio and in Michigan. Minnesota's was the Alpha chapter of the fraternity. Accessed 3 Feb 2020.
15. "William Wolfe Heads Phi Sigma Nu Frat" (October 13, 1933) The Jewish Press, vol. 9, no. 37, p. 5. Via issuu, Accessed December 29, 2022.
16. "Tau Epsilon Rho Law Society Web Site". www.ter-law.org. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
17. "Media - Documenting Maine Jewry". mainejews.org. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
18. "Home Page". www.taudelt.net. Retrieved 2022-12-29.
19. "Pi Upsilon Phi Meets in Syracuse Sunday" (June 26, 1934) The Jewish Daily Bulletin, vol. 11, no. 2881, p. 5, accessed 27 Jan 2020.
20. "Sigma Theta Pi Group to Hold Annual Meeting" (June 26, 1934) The Jewish Daily Bulletin, vol. 11, no. 2881, p. 7, accessed 27 Jan 2020.
21. Adler, Cyrus; Szold, Henrietta (1920). American Jewish Year Book. Jewish Publication Society of America.
22. "Sigma Theta Pi Sorority Conclave, 1940". digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-29.