Sigma Alpha Rho…Whatever it takes!
The story of Sigma Alpha Rho began in late 1917. World War I was in full-swing and a group of eleven Jewish young men in Philadelphia were seeking connection. To secure their bond, they formed a Social and Athletic Club. Within two months, on November 18, 1917, this “Soathical Club” became a fraternity. With the Gleaming Eye as the fraternity pin, and the regal colors of royal purple and white, the Phi chapter of the Sigma Alpha Rho Fraternity was born.
For three and a half years, the Fraternity consisted of this group. But then a fateful decision was made to add more chapters. On the evening of June 10, 1921 on the roof garden of the Lorraine Hotel in Philadelphia, ten Central High School students 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 formed and more chapters were added as SAR expanded.
SAR was catching on. In September 1921, Leon S. Rosenthal was elected the Fraternity’s first national president, known as the Supreme Exalted Ruler. On January 20, 1924 the first regional group of chapters was formed, as the Philadelphia District Council came into being.
In February 1924, the Gleaming Eye, the national newspaper, was born. The first fraternity-wide convention was held in August of that year in Atlantic City, NJ. Soon, the need for a more localized government was recognized as additional chapters in New York were inducted. The Metropolitan District Council was added and 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. The Fraternity thrived until the Great Depression threatened its survival. Chapter presidents, known as Sigma Rhos, arranged the first Sigma Rhos conclave in Philadelphia on December 3, 1933. The fraternity weathered the storm and by 1939, the Mid-Southern, Southern, and Central Pennsylvania District Councils were established.
Sigma Alpha Rho was on the rise
With the outbreak of World War II, the fraternity faced its next challenge. Many brothers went to war to fight the Nazi terror. Some, like Supreme Exalted Ruler Irving Rathblott, never returned.
During these dire times, new leaders emerged 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. In 1946, the Eastern District Council was created. And in the spirit of brothers helping brothers, financial scholarships became reality in 1948 and a Scholastic Achievement Program was initiated in 1950.
1958 was a banner year as SAR boasted a total of 50 active chapters. Much of this was due to the unfaltering determination of Supreme Exalted Ruler Charles Bogdanoff.
In the 1960s, Sigma Alpha Rho expanded into areas, such as Massachusetts, Alabama, California, and even into Canada. That’s when Sigma Alpha Rho of America became known as Sigma Alpha Rho Fraternity International.
As the Vietnam War raged overseas, Sigma Alpha Rho faced troubling times. To meet the challenge of a wavering Fraternity, an Alumnus was called back for the first time to lead Sigma Alpha Rho. Jerry Krader, as Supreme Exalted Ruler, brought a “New Direction” to SAR. Youth leadership became a major role and chapters again became strong, as a new generation of leaders emerged to take the helm.
Sigma Alpha Rho thrived throughout the 70s as brotherhood was booming. Irving Rathblott college scholarships grew in size and amount. Brothers looked forward to fraternity-wide mid-year and end-of-year conventions, racquetball parties, all-night bowling events, lavish alumni banquets, the Preakness Conclave, ski trips, spirit weekends, prom-like dances, and trips to theme parks. Convention sites expanded to include Virginia Beach, Niagara Falls, Ocean City, Maryland and Toronto.
In the 90s, the Fraternity faced hard times once again, as one-by-one, the chapters faded away. And despite the heroic efforts of the alumni, the fraternity went quiet.
In 2020, a group of dedicated alumni gathered together to restore Sigma Alpha Rho to greatness. Once again, Phi, the original chapter of SAR, was formed to pave the way for a new group of young Jewish men seeking adventure, growth, connection and brotherhood.
A robust alumni organization still celebrates our founding with reunions every five years. Sigma Alpha Rhos’s 100th anniversary celebration was celebrated in 2017 by more than 650 alumni in attendance.
The successes of the ideals put forth by those eleven men in 1917 have withstood the test of time. And now, it’s time to bring the brotherhood experienced by so many to a new generation.