Phi Beta Delta () was an American college social fraternity for Jewish students. It was founded at Columbia University in 1912. After chartering 36 chapters, the fraternity merged with Pi Lambda Phi in 1941.

History Phi Beta Delta was founded at Columbia University on as a college social fraternity for Jewish students. Its eight founders were David H. Cohen, Henry C. Fenton, William Haas, Darcy M. Heinemann, Joseph Michtom, Samuel Null, Julius Rudd, and Bernard Shapiro

The founders stated, "Its purpose is to inculcate among its membership a fine spirit of loyalty, activity, and scholarship toward their Alma Mater, to develop the highest ideals of conduct, and to promote a close fraternal bond through means of carefully selected associates."

While entering the ranks of national fraternities somewhat later than its national peers, the organization quickly grew, with chapters quickly formed at several eastern schools. In 1934, Phi Beta Delta absorbed the UPenn chapter of Omicron Alpha Tau, a smaller Jewish fraternity that was dispersing that year. This group either merged with the existing Phi Beta Delta chapter on the campus or re-established it. Four of 's other chapters went to Tau Delta Phi.

In 1930, Phi Beta Delta had initiated 1,811 members and chartered 32 chapters, with three being inactive. Ten chapters owned houses. The fraternity had alumni clubs in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York City, Oklahoma, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Western Pennsylvania.

Phi Beta Delta effectively merged into Pi Lambda Phi on February 1, 1941. Baird's Manual (19th edition) notes the merger documents were signed on . At the time, Pi Lambda Phi had twenty active chapters, and Phi Beta Delta had sixteen. Considering duplications, the combined post-merger fraternity had a net of 33 chapters. All members and alumni of Phi Beta Delta were admitted into Pi Lambda Phi.

Symbols The Phi Beta Delta badge was diamond-shaped and edged with twenty pearls. Across the center, it displayed the Greek letters in gold on a blue background. Above the letters was a five-pointed star, and below were two crossed keys.

The fraternity's colors were blue and gold. Its jewel was the pearl. Its flower was the hyacinth. Its publications were the monthly What's Doing in Phi Beta Delta and the quarterly magazine The Tripod of Phi Beta Delta.

Chapters Following are the chapters of Phi Beta Delta, listed in the order of formation, with inactive chapters and institutions are in italics.

ChapterCharter date and rangeInstitutionLocationStatusAlpha – 1929Columbia UniversityNew York City, New YorkInactiveGamma1912–1935City College of New YorkNew York City, New YorkInactiveLambda1912–1926New York College of DentistryNew York City, New YorkInactiveSigma1913–1918,1934–1941Cornell UniversityIthaca, New YorkMerged ()Zeta1915–1934New York UniversityNew York City, New YorkInactiveBeta1916–1935Fordham UniversityNew York City, New YorkInactiveEta1919–1941University of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaMerged ()Epsilon1919–1939University of ChicagoChicago, IllinoisInactiveTheta1920–1941Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyBoston, MassachusettsMerged ()Mu1920–1941University of CincinnatiCincinnati, OhioMerged ()Nu1920–1935Polytechnic Institute of New York (Tandon)New York City, New YorkInactive Kappa1921–1941University of Southern CaliforniaLos Angeles, CaliforniaMerged ()Omicron1921–1941University of MichiganAnn Arbor, MichiganMerged ()Rho1921–1925Worcester Polytechnic InstituteWorcester, MassachusettsInactiveXi1921–1930Tufts UniversityMedford, MassachusettsInactivePi1921–1941Washington University in St. LouisSt. Louis, MissouriMerged ()Tau1922–1941University of California, BerkeleyBerkeley, CaliforniaMerged ()Upsilon1922–1941University of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles, CaliforniaMerged ()Iota1922–1941University of OklahomaNorman, OklahomaMerged ()Phi1922–1936University of IowaIowa City, IowaInactiveChi1924–1934University of Wisconsin–MadisonMadison, WisconsinInactivePsi1924–1930Drake UniversityDes Moines, IowaInactiveDelta1925–1941University of FloridaGainesville, FloridaMerged ()Omega1925–1931University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaInactiveAlpha Alpha1925–1933University of MinnesotaMinneapolis, MinnesotaInactiveAlpha Beta1927–1934University of DenverDenver, ColoradoInactiveAlpha Gamma1927–1933Lehigh UniversityBethlehem, PennsylvaniaInactive Alpha Delta1927–1933,19xx ?–1941Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaMerged ()Templar yearbook of , p.153. Accessed 16 February 2022.Alpha Epsilon1927–1941Ohio State UniversityColumbus, OhioMerged ()Alpha Zeta1928–1941University of South CarolinaColumbia, South CarolinaMerged ()Alpha Eta1928–1937University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AlabamaInactiveAlpha Theta1928–1941Indiana UniversityBloomington, IndianaMerged ()Alpha Iota1931–1934University of ColoradoBoulder, ColoradoInactiveAlpha Kappa1934–1941University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignChampaign, IllinoisMerged ()

Notable members Maurice Caro, Massachusetts State Legislature Richard Feynman (Theta, 1935) theoretical physicist Max Fisher (Alpha Epsilon) businessman and philanthropist Leopold Calvin Glass, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Joseph L. Kun, judge on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Louis B. Mayer, film producer and co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios Aaron M Sakolski, author

See also List of Jewish fraternities and sororities List of social fraternities

References

External links Guide to the University of Chicago Phi Beta Delta Records 1925-1935 at the University of Chicago Special Collections Research Center