Iota Alpha Pi

Iota Alpha Pi (ΙΑΠ) was an international collegiate sorority operating in the United States and Canada from March 3, 1903[3] to July 1971.

Iota Alpha Pi
ΙΑΠ
FoundedMarch 3, 1903 (1903-03-03)
Hunter College, New York City
TypeSocial
ScopeUnited States and Canada
Colors  Red
  Black[1]
PublicationJ.A.P. Journal/Bi-Annual[2] then The Heights
PhilanthropyMuscular Dystrophy

History

Iota Alpha Pi was the first national sorority for Jewish women. In March 1903, on the campus of New York City, Normal College (now Hunter College), seven young women created a new sorority .[4] The J.A.P.[note 1], or "Jay-ay-peez",[5]:80–82 focused on religious education and settlement house work.

The founders were Hannah (Finkelstein) Swick, Olga (Edelstein) Ecker, Sadie (April) Glotzer, Rose (Posner) Bernstein, Rose (Delson) Hirschman, May (Finkelstein) Spielgel, and Frances (Zellermayer) Delson.[5]:309[6] Frances Zellermayer was a sister to Zeta Beta Tau founder Maurice Zellermayer and later married the brother of fellow founder Rose Delson.

In 1913, with the new name Iota Alpha Pi, the members began the traditional sorority expansion process. The original organizers grouped themselves as Alpha chapter and the succeeding group became Beta chapter. Early expansion was at other schools in the New York Area, Gamma at the Brooklyn Law School, Delta at NYU Washington Square and Epsilon at the New Jersey Law School The Sorority became international in 1929 with the founding of Kappa chapter at University of Toronto, University of Manitoba had a particularly prosperous chapter.[6]

In 1924, a Rotation Scholarship Fund was created, allowing money to be loaned to worthy students by the sorority on the expectation of it being repaid. In 1925 the sorority began creating its own semi-annual bulletin.[6]

Iota joined the National Panhellenic Conference as an associate member in November 1953[7] and became a full member on November 4, 1957.[8] Although many chapters were planted, Iota Alpha Pi could not keep up with its rapidly growing competitors.

Historian Marianne Sanua recounts the life of Iota Alpha Pi in her book, Going Greek: Jewish College Fraternities in the United States, 1895- 1945. The sorority was "not for the especially popular, affluent, or snobbish, but just a group of good friends" (p. 81) The American Jewish Yearbook 5692 describes the sorority as Jewish in a positive way".[6] This accolade probably stems from Iota's studies on women in the Bible.[5]

By 1966, Iota Alpha Pi had granted a total 23 charters. A report by Wilson Heller indicates that the sorority was strong until 1968. Heller posits that the sorority saw dramatic declines in membership, particularly with the cessation of the "Christians only" clause in non-Jewish organizations.

In 1969, Iota Alpha Pi had new chapters at the University of Maryland College Park and Hunter College Park Avenue.

An NPC report indicated that Iota Alpha Pi had 11 chapters , 8 Alumnae groups and 5,802 sisters as of June 1, 1967 and 13 chapters, 8 Alumnae groups and 6,204 as of June 1, 1969.[9]

In July 1971, the international headquarters voted to disband Iota Alpha Pi (Heller).

As of 2008, some alumni continue to hold reunions and other events. However, no formal organization exists to coordinate these gatherings.

Insignia

The original name of the sorority was J.A.P. Their publication was The J.A.P. Bulletin. With the name change to Iota Alpha Pi, the magazine was also renamed: The Heights.[5]

The first official badge was a scarlet horizontal diamond surrounded by seed pearls. The scarlet diamond bore the letters Ι Α and Π, in gold. Above the Α, in gold, was a skull and crossbones. Later versions of the badge included two full blown roses at the points of the diamond.

Official colors:red and black.[1]

As of 1931, the sorority used in " a diamond of scarlet surrounded by jewels" where a crest would otherwise be used.[10]

National Philanthropy: Muscular Dystrophy[11]

Chapters

Conventions

Conventions include

  • December 22–27, 1925, New York City[15]
  • December 20–25, 1926, New York City[16]
  • December 20–25, 1927, New York City[17]
  • December 20–25, 1929, New York City[18]
  • December 20–25, 1930, New York City[19]
  • December 20–25, 1931, New York City[20]
  • December 20–25, 1933, New York City[21]
  • December 22–24, 1934, New York City[22]
  • 33rd Annual Convention, December 21–24, 1935, New York City[23]
  • 34th Annual Convention, December 1936, New York City[24]
  • 35th Annual Convention, December 25–26, 1937, New York City.[25]
  • 36th Annual Convention, December 24–26, 1938, New York City.[2]
  • 37th Annual Convention, December 23–25, 1939, New York City[26]
  • 38th Annual Convention, December 21–24, 1940, New York City[27]
  • 44th annual convention, December 22–24, 1947 Waldorf Astoria, New York City.[28]
  • 1948 Syracuse, New York[29]
  • August 1954, Roney Plaza Hotel, Miami Beach[3][30]
  • June 22, 1968, Washington D.C.[31]

Notable Alumnae

Jill Wine-Banks - one of the prosecutors during the Watergate scandal. She was the first woman to serve as US General Counsel of the Army (1977–80)[32]

Notes
  1. No relation to Jewish American Princess, a term that did not come into use until after World War II

References
  1. William Raimond Baird (1991). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. Baird's Manual Foundation, Incorporated.
  2. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1939-1940
  3. Jewish Floridian March 12, 1954 , page B4
  4. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. G. Banta Company. 1977. pp. 806–807.
  5. Sanua, Marianne Rachel (2003). Going Greek: Jewish College Fraternities in the US, 1895- 1945. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 978-0-8143-2857-6. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
  6. Kohut, Rebekah (1931–1932). "Jewish Women's Organization in the United States" (PDF). The American Jewish Year Book. 33: 197–198. JSTOR 23601441.
  7. The Crescent of Gamma Phi beta, December 1953. p 20
  8. The Crescent of Gamma Phi Beta, March 1958. p.4
  9. Sigma Kappa Triangle Summer 1970, p 23
  10. Emily Helen Butterfield (1931). College Fraternity Heraldry. George Banta Publishing Company. p. 46.
  11. Templar (Temple University Yearbook) 1961, page 131
  12. Winnipeg Free Press March 30, 1932, p 8
  13. Templar (Temple University Yearbook) 1946, page 168
  14. 1970 Terrapin Yearbook page 330
  15. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1926-1927
  16. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1927-1928
  17. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1928-1929
  18. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1929-1930
  19. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1931-1932
  20. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1932-1933
  21. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED-STATES 1934-1935
  22. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED-STATES 1935-1936
  23. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1936-1937
  24. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1937-1938
  25. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1938-1939
  26. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED-STATES 1940-1941
  27. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED-STATES 1941-1942
  28. Philadelphia Jewish Exponent January 3, 1947, p 11
  29. Winnipeg Free Press, August 24, 1948, p 10
  30. The Miami News Miami, Florida 20 Aug 1954, Page 21
  31. HON. MARTHA W. GRIFFlTHS Extension of Remarks
  32. Wine-Banks, Jill (2020). The Watergate Girl: My Fight for Truth and Justice Against a Criminal President. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 9781250244321. OCLC 1113434676.
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