Sigma Alpha Rho

Sigma Alpha Rho () is the oldest continuously run, independent Jewish high school fraternity, founded on November 18, 1917, by 11 young men in West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

This Jewish High School Fraternity has international, regional and local organization, all of which have covered areas from New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America to Montreal, Quebec, Canada and from Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA to North Hollywood, California, USA.

The fraternity emphasizes independence as brothers organize and run any event they wish in order to develop leadership and planning skills for later in life and enjoy themselves as much as possible.

History

1917–1930

''Fro
1931 History of SAR
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On November 18, 1917, 11 young men gathered in a synagogue on Larchwood Avenue, near 60th Street, in Philadelphia for a meeting of the Soathical Club. The Soathical Club was an organization that had been established the previous Spring by a group of Jewish students in the West Philadelphia High School for the purpose of banding them together socially. The name was derived from a combination of the words social and athletic, and among the activities was included a baseball team.

At the meeting, Bill Braude proposed that the Club be formed into a fraternity, primarily for the advancement of Jewish student interests in the West Philadelphia High School.

One of the first matters adopted by the new Fraternity was the selection of a pin which would certify and symbolize brotherhood. Brother Alexander Meisel was entrusted with this work, and after much deliberation he presented the design—The Gleaming Eye.

The second matter considered by the new Fraternity was the selection of their colors, Royal Purple and White.

Jules Feinstein was elected as President of the Fraternity, still a one chapter organization. Louis Marios was elected as Vice President, Nathan Goldman became Secretary, Benjamin Landau assumed the role of Treasurer, and Harry Katz took the position of Financial Secretary.

In the Spring of 1918, the first affair ever given under the auspices of the Sigma Alpha Rho Fraternity was held. At that affair, a number of new men were introduced, some of them such as Jerry Abramson and John Borska, brothers who were to exercise a powerful influence on the development of Sigma Alpha Rho. By the Fall of the year, Jerry Abramson had become the leader of the group, and he was elected as President to succeed Jules Feinstein.

Under his capable leadership, Sigma Alpha Rho forged rapidly ahead as it began to exert a potent force in the activities of the West Philadelphia High School.

Through its many years of existence this group accomplished many things of social and fraternal merit. The group decided that an expansion by the establishing chapters in other high schools would let other Jewish youth experience those same things. This action formed the basis of the National Organizers Department, the precursor to the present day Supreme Board of Chancellors (see "Governing Body" below).

June 10, 1921, marked the momentous occasion of taking the second chapter into the Sigma Alpha Rho Fraternity. In preparation for this expansion, the fraternal and ritual minded members of the group polished, revamped, and rewrote the rituals and rites of Sigma Alpha Rho, until finally they assumed the proportions and composition that exist today. Thus, the Sigma Chapter was introduced, and with a designation as a Sigma Chapter came the appellation of the Phi Chapter to the original body, and SAR became an institution rather than a group.

On the evening of June 10, on the Roof Garden of the Lorraine Hotel, ten members of the Central High School of Philadelphia were solemnly ushered in and formally constituted as The Sigma Chapter, under the newly revised rituals.

One by one every high school in Philadelphia was drawn into the bounds of the fraternity. Reaching out in a broad fan-like swoop, the Fraternity drew into its fold successively chapters in Camden, New Jersey, Wilmington, Delaware, New York, New York, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. But with this expansion came a problem which was vital – the need of a central governing body was recognized; a body which would serve as a connecting link for all chapters no matter how widely they were distributed.

National Organization

An Executive Council was created to handle the day to day problems of the organization in September 1921. This Council at first had eight members, four from the Phi Chapter ( West Philadelphia) and four from the Sigma Chapter (Central High School of Philadelphia). Brothers Rosenthal, Abramson, Segal and Herman representing Phi and Horowitz, Good, Buten and Hoffman, members of Sigma.

This Council set up the first plans for the conduct of the National Organization, and today the complex system of constitution and by-laws that the fraternity follows still hearkens back to the original fundamental laid down by those eight men. They selected the name Supreme Exalted Ruler for the National President as well as the other national officers, and at their first meeting made the following elections: Supreme Exalted Ruler (President), Leon S. Rosenthal; Exalted Mortal Ruler (Vice-President), Walter Greenspan Horowitz; Supreme Exchequer (Treasurer), Alexander David Segal; Supreme Scribe (Secretary), Philip Joseph Heiman. These men were the first national officers of the Fraternity. This Council served as the bond which wove the different Philadelphia chapters into a much stronger association and relationship.

In the beginning the Council possessed very limited powers and few duties, but with the advent of distant Chapters such as Newark, New Jersey, it became necessary to form a governing council which would include their representation. Obviously the Executive Council had served its purpose, and so, on January 20, 1924, the Supreme Exalted Ruler dissolved the Executive Council, and a few moments later called into session the National Executive Council representing every Chapter in the Fraternity. New elections were held and Leon S. Rosenthal was again elected as Supreme Exalted Ruler. A new Constitution, which was drawn up by the Constitutional Revision Committee under Brother Rosenthal's leadership, was formally approved by the delegates in session and adopted as the new constitution of Sigma Alpha Rho.

In the Conventions that subsequently followed as yearly events, meetings of the National Executive Council became more and more complex; Delegates from every chapter were given the opportunity of expressing themselves and introducing resolutions.

When the 1926 Convention rolled around, certain notable changes were made in the National Organization. Amendments to the Constitution provided for a new governing body, one with greater power and resources. This body, the Supreme Board of Chancellors, included the Supreme Exalted Ruler, Supreme Mortal Ruler, Exalted Mortal Ruler, Supreme Exchequer, Supreme Scribe, and the preceding Supreme Exalted Ruler plus three Chancellors, and was to be elected annually by the National Executive Council (Delegates from each Chapter).

The duties of this Board were to execute all rulings and decisions approved by the National Executive Council; to be the final body of interpretation for both the ritual and the Constitution; to enforce all the decisions of the Supreme Exalted Ruler; to hear all appeals and to decide whatever fraternal matters which might be forwarded to them by any chapter.

The Board was to meet at least twice a year upon a ten-day notice to each member. Upon the discretion of the Supreme Exalted Ruler, the Board was to meet whenever it was deemed necessary to transact any business pertaining to the National Organization. All expenses incurred by the Chancellors in attending these sessions were to be paid by the National Treasury.

Each member of the board may cast one vote on any matter under the consideration of the Board. When a majority