Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity: Brandeis University Epsilon Phi Chapter

The Epsilon Phi Chapter of the Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity was founded at Brandeis in 1987. The Brandeis Chapter was originally formed by rugby players although it has since diversified. Currently the group touches all walks of campus life through its members in debate, fencing, skiing, and many other non-greek activites.

Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity was first created as a society for Zionist youth, under the name Z.B.T. It was formed in 1898 by Professor Gottheil, a professor of languages at Columbia University. The society was a fraternal-like group that served to accept Jews, who were excluded from exisiting fraternities because of the sectarian practices which prevailed at the end of the nineteenth century. In 1903, with a large need for a fraternity open to Jewish students, Z.B.T changed its structure to become a true greek organization under the name of Zeta Beta Tau.

Zeta Beta Tau expanded rapidly. By 1909, it had established 13 Chapters throughout the Northeast and a 14th at Tulane University at New Orleans, thereby taking on a truly national dimension. In 1913, it established its first Canadian Chapter at McGill University in Montreal. Five years later, ZBT founded its first West Coast Chapter at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. At the 1954 National Convention, the delegates amended Zeta Beta Tau's Constitution, ritual and internal procedures both in theory and in practice to eliminate sectarianism as a qualification for membership. Spearheaded by the growth of state and municipal university systems, hundreds of new institutions were opened in the quarter-century following World War II. By the 1960's virtually every American had an opportunity to attend college. From 1945 to 1969, the number of ZBT chapters increased from 30 to 80 units. The history of mergers in the Zeta Beta Tau Brotherhood followed a pattern of linking common traditions. In 1959, Phi Alpha merged into Phi Sigma Delta, and in 1961 Kappa Nu merged into Phi Epsilon Pi. In 1969-70, Phi Sigma Delta and Phi Epsilon Pi merged into Zeta Beta Tau.

Traumatic experiences were generated by the polarization over the Vietnam conflict. The American fraternity system - including Zeta Beta Tau, was subsequently affected by the great wave of anti-establishment feeling that was pervasive throughout the country. Many of the Chapters which survived this period of turmoil did so in a weakened condition. During the late 1970's and the early 1980's, there was a renewed interest in fraternity life, resulting in increased initiation statistics, revival of many dormant Chapters and expansion to new campuses.

Today, the merged Zeta Beta Tau Brotherhood is some 110,000 Brothers strong, and ZBT Chapters and Colonies are established at over 80 campus locations. Through good times and bad, ZBT has been in the forefront in pioneering new concepts - as evidenced by its very founding, its elimination of sectarian membership practices, its acceptance of mergers, and its ability to solve enormous problems when others abandoned the effort. ZBT continues to maintain a tradition of leadership and respect in the interfraternity world.