Two defunct Jewish sororities

[oldu]

Part of the reason for the confusion is that in the midst of the turmoil of the early 1970s, Tau Delta Phi was down to one remaining chapter at New York Polytechnic. Many chapters had just closed, Illinois merged with Pi Lambda Phi, Penn State merged with Tau Epsilon Phi and Lehigh became a chapter of Zeta Psi (there may be others that also merged with a stronger group on campus). The remaining chapter at NY Poly then began expanding around the New York City area, and there are now about a dozen or more chapters active, although I have never seen a list of their active chapters ever published.

[psasso]

In 1973, Tau Delta Phi had 18 active chapters after we rejected a merger from Alpha Epsilon Pi. No active chapters merged into Alpha Epsilon Pi. The remainder remained Tau Delta Phi and others found homes with other larger national fraternities. We have since re-emerged as a national fraternity and are an active member in the NIC. We have active chapters in PA, NJ, NY, and NH. We are also in a strong period of growth as we are aggressively expanding to reach our goal of becoming more modest in size.

[psasso]

Our Illinois chapter is now Pi Lambda Phi.

[AGDAlum]

Originally Posted by Benzgirl

I spent one enitre afternoon reading what I could online. Would love to have a copy of the book; it is SO interesting.

According to WorldCat (www.worldcat.org), at least 153 libraries own it.

Your tax dollars have already paid for interlibrary loan service!

[exlurker]

Originally Posted by psasso

In 1973, Tau Delta Phi had 18 active chapters after we rejected a merger from Alpha Epsilon Pi. No active chapters merged into Alpha Epsilon Pi. The remainder remained Tau Delta Phi and others found homes with other larger national fraternities. We have since re-emerged as a national fraternity and are an active member in the NIC. We have active chapters in PA, NJ, NY, and NH. We are also in a strong period of growth as we are aggressively expanding to reach our goal of becoming more modest in size.

And reportedly there's a new Tau Delta Phi colony at Penn State. Looks like it's made up in large part of men who were members of the Phi Delta Theta chapter that was recently closed, if I'm understanding the campus paper's April 7 '09 article correctly:

http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive...es_colony.aspx

[IvyAEPHI]

I am a relatively new reader of GreekChat, although have been involved in greek life since the mid '90s. Something in this post rang a bell and after checking in with my mother, I learned that she was a member of Iota Phi in Portland in the mid 50s. She remembers that it was one of two Jewish high school social sororities (apparently very common at that time) and has no idea if they had a presence larger than her high school. My mom describes the sorority as "slightly upscale," which was very funny given the context that her sister belonged the other Jewish sorority. My mom couldn't remember much more about it, but did note that a former mayor of Portland Linda Ellowitch (her maiden name and not the right spelling) was a member of Iota Phi as well.

[AGDAlum]

Originally Posted by AGDAlum

According to WorldCat (www.worldcat.org), at least 153 libraries own it.

Your tax dollars have already paid for interlibrary loan service!

I did get the book via ILL. It's most interesting. Though it was published in 2003, the author focuses on the years 1895-1945. Some of the Chapter rolls (an appendix) go to 1968, with the statement, "Economic challenges of the 1930s and 1940's, and, to an even greater extent, the impact of the Vietnam War, student protest, and general campus upheaval in the late 1960s helped to bring about the expiration or consolidation of several of these groups....Several that do survive were nonsectarian in spirit and ritual from their origins or else can no longer be considered specifically Jewish groups. For the most up-to-date information available, readers should consult the national headquarters of the surviving groups."

I also noted this (p. 80): the first Jewish college sorority was founded in 1903...Called at first by the initials J.A.P. (the "Jay-ay-peez" and by 1913 renamed Iota Alpha Pi. "If [the term Jewish American princess] was used in conjuncition with J.A.P., howeever, it would soon have become incongruous, for the group's seniority in the sorority hierarchy did not guarantee it a reputation for affluence or outstanding social prestige....In 1942 a young woman about to be initiated...awaited the moment when the true secret meaning of the initials J.A.P. would be revealed to her. 'We are "Just a Plain Sorority,"' she was finally told--...in other words, just a group of good friends." So much for mystic mottoes!