This is the story of eleven young men and what they made possible. This is the story of a small Philadelphia social club and the Sigma Alpha Rho Fraternity it founded. This is the story of Brotherhood, of Fraternity, of a spirit united by one oath engendering self-learning, responsibility, and cultural aspects that modeled youth into men - men prepared to meet the problems of the world.
In September 1917, the United States. had entered the First World War, while the “Soathical Club,” a young group of boys, mostly students at West Philadelphia High School, came into being. They were tired of the close-mindedness that prohibited Jews from participating in social and athletic organizations and created their own. But this Social and Athletic Club, as a club, was to have a short life. As destiny would have it, upon the suggestion of William Braude one November evening, less than two months after the group’s birth, the “Soathical Club” became a fraternity. William Braude, Jules Feinstein, Joseph Marion, and Benjamin Landau created the ritual and on November 18, 1917, Sigma Alpha Rho Fraternity was founded. Soon thereafter, Sigma Alpha Rho began to grow. The Gleaming Eye, created by Alexander Meisel, became known as the Fraternity pin, and royal purple and white became the Fraternity’s colors. For three and a half years, the Fraternity consisted of the Phi Chapter and acted as a single unit, but then a decision to expand was made. On the evening of June 10, 1921 on the roof garden of the Lorraine Hotel in Philadelphia, ten students of Central High School solemnly took the oath of induction and became the Sigma Chapter. One by one, chapter by chapter, Sigma Alpha Rho grew. Theta, Omega, Iota, Xi, and Epsilon were just the beginning. A governing body was set up and more chapters were formed as Sigma Alpha Rho reached out in one broad, fan-like motion. Leon S. Rosenthal became the Fraternity’s first Supreme Exalted Ruler. On January 20, 1924, the Philadelphia District Council came into being, organized to supervise and unify the activity of the Philadelphia Chapters.
In February 1924, the Gleaming Eye, the national newspaper, made its initial appearance. The first convention was held in August of that year in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Soon, the need for a more localized government was recognized as additional chapters in the New York area were inducted. Therefore, the Metropolitan District Council was organized. Later that year, a third Council, the Western Pennsylvania District Council, came into being.
A dramatic high point of this period was the induction of the Theta Theta Chapter of New Orleans, Louisiana, on December 29, 1929. But soon the Great Depression came and the very survival of the Fraternity was an everyday consideration. Plans were made, and the Sigma Rhos of each chapter began to meet. Hence, the first Sigma Rhos’ conclave was held at Hotel Walton in Philadelphia, on December 3, 1933. With signs of recovery, the first issue of the handbook was published in 1937, and the MidSouthern, Southern, and Central Pennsylvania District Councils were established by 1939.
But again, with the outbreak of World War, strains on the fraternity ensued. Many Brothers would be missed at future Conventions as a result of the new Nazi terror. Some, like Supreme Exalted Ruler Irving Rathblott, would perish in this great tragedy.
At the 1942 Convention, SAR started its “Ambulance Fund,” which saw the Fraternity donate $3,100 for the purchase of two US Medical Corps ambulances. They were presented to the Army at ceremonies in Philadelphia and Washington in 1943.
On January 20, 1945, Sigma Alpha Rho, in an impressive military ceremony in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park, planted a tree and dedicated a stone plaque in memory of the Fraternity Brothers who paid the supreme sacrifice in World War II. The tree will serve forever as a living memorial.
During these challenging times, new leaders rose up to guide the dispirited Brothers. Supreme Exalted Ruler, Harold “Whitey” Weissman, dubbed the slogan, “Gung Ho”, to mean Work Together. The 1946 “Victory” Convention started off the post war era with a gigantic celebration. Some 800 Sigma Alpha Rho Brothers crowded into New York’s Henry Hudson and Park Central Hotels for this momentous occasion. As time moved on, the first Purple & White Yearbook was published and the Eastern District Council was created in 1946. The financial scholarship became reality when, in 1948, Brother Seymour Zogott became its first recipient. Sigma Alpha Rho joined the Inter-Fraternity Congress of America.
In the 1950s, more progress was made as a Scholastic Achievement Program was initiated and a National Fraternity Flag was adopted. Supreme Exalted Ruler Leon L. Linder oversaw a great commitment to community service, which included a $6,000 donation for the Society of Crippled Children.
Expansion again became a key, for in 1958, the total chapter roll was up to 50 active groups. Much of this was due to the unfaltering determination of Supreme Exalted Ruler Charles Bogdanoff. In addition, the first Lorraine Hotel Charity Ball was run to raise money for the Rathblott Scholarship Fund.
Sigma Alpha Rho’s growth continued in M. Zev Rose’s term as Supreme Exalted Ruler, where the chapter roles increased to 59 and new councils covered both coasts with the additions of the Los Angeles and Queens District Councils. In the 1960s, Sigma Alpha Rho moved into such areas as Massachusetts, Alabama, California, and even across the border into Canada. In 1964, Supreme Exalted Ruler Gil Abramson inducted the Gamma Lambda Chapter in Montreal. Sigma Alpha Rho of America became known as Sigma Alpha Rho Fraternity, International.
Major achievements were recognized by Supreme Exalted Ruler Edward Soll, whereas planning and organization became a program in itself for the Fraternity. This helped contribute to significant growth in his term, and continued with the induction of 850 brothers in 1966 in Supreme Exalted Ruler Jeff Elberson’s term.
Large Conventions, conclaves in New Orleans and Montreal, and Sigma Rho conclaves marked some of the key activities in the ‘60’s that was presided over by Supreme Exalted Rulers Richard Weissman and Dennis Cogan.
SAR turns fifty!
During SER Dennis Cogan’s term - on December 10, 1967 at the Bellevue Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia, the toast master, Past Supreme Exalted Ruler Judge Emil F. Goldhaber, spoke to the 700 in attendance (including 25 Past Supreme Exalted Rulers) about SAR being as Great as Ever. Another amazing highlight was the speech by Sigma Alpha’s Rho’s very first Supreme Exalted Ruler, Leon S. Rosenthal.
As the Vietnam War raged overseas, the Fraternity was led by Supreme Exalted Rulers Bill Glazer and Dana Levitz. To meet the challenge of a wavering Fraternity, an Alumnus was called for the first time to lead Sigma Alpha Rho. Jerry Krader, as Supreme Exalted Ruler, brought a “New Direction” to Sigma Alpha Rho. In the 1970’s, Youth leadership became a major role and Chapters again became strong as new leaders emerged such as Carl Bagell, Don Benn, Fred Ratner, Stuart Discount, Gary Discount, and Daniel Rosner. A second or Mid-Year Convention was added, ski trips, Dec. 24th annual bowling parties, major conclaves in New Orleans and Montreal, and the Sweetheart Ball were among the many key activities in this era.
The torch is passed on to a new generation
As a new generation of inductees approached their fraternity careers with enthusiasm and vigor, few could have anticipated the strides in quality and diversity that the 80s and 90s would bring.
During the ‘80s, Supreme Exalted Rulers including Stuart Discount, Brad Heisman, Josh Malis and Larry Blumenthal oversaw increased activity which promoted events every single weekend. Leadership retreats, standardized pledge training programs, the rebirth of the Theta Theta Conclave in New Orleans, the Preakness Conclave, expanding Inter Chapter Relations activities were important to the Sigma Alpha Rho’s success.
Alan Roth, Joel Hollander, and Steve Wernick, after achieving Royal Order of the Gleaming Eye honors, all returned to the active fraternity to take on Sigma Alpha Rho’s highest position as Supreme Exalted Ruler between the years 1988-91.
Since the 80’s, multi-term Supreme Exalted Rulers became more the practice then the exception: Supreme Exalted Rulers serving more than one term included Stu Discount (4 terms), Brad Heisman, Josh Malis, Larry Blumenthal (4 terms), Gary Discount, Marty Hyatt, Mike Mendelson, Robert Malmud, Adam Goldstein, and Jason Saylor who became our longest serving Supreme Exalted Ruler who served over 5 terms.
For decades, Charles Bogdanoff, Chief Justice of the Judicial Tribunal, was proudly a mentor to so many of the Supreme Exalted Rulers and SAR leadership.
The Millennium has brought on changes and challenges, especially in communications and social media. Sigma Alpha Rho developed the SAR website, Facebook pages, mass emails, and the SAR hotline which were examples of new additions to accommodate communications in the new generation. Events, such as Skirmishes, attending sporting events, concerts, ski trips, and a focus on Inter-Chapter Relationships were common.
Rathblott scholarships have grown in size and number. A robust alumni organization celebrates our founding with huge reunions every five years and has embarked on a vocational guidance offering. The original Abbie (for the best chapter) established in 1928 has been encased and an Abbie II is now awarded each year.