Kappa Nu

{{Short description|Defunct Jewish-interest collegiate fraternity}}

{{Infobox fraternity

| name = Kappa Nu

| letters = {{lang|grc|ΚΝ}}

| coat of arms = The_crest_of_Kappa_Nu.jpg

| image_size = 180px

| alt =

| caption =

| founded = {{Start date and age|1911|11|12}}

| birthplace = University of Rochester

| former_affiliation = NIC

| status = Merged

| merge_date = {{dts|October 14, 1961}}

| successor = Phi Epsilon Pi

| type = Social fraternity

| emphasis = Jewish

| scope = National

| motto =

| virtues =

| pillars =

| slogan =

| maxim =

| member badge = File:Kappa_Nu_badge.png

| colors = {{color box|#800080}} Purple and {{color box|#FFFFFF}} White

| symbol = Star

| flag =

| flower =

| tree =

| jewel = Amethyst

| mascot =

| publication = Kappa Nu

| chapters = 27

| members =

| lifetime =

| city = Rochester, New York

| country = United States

| website =

}}

Kappa Nu ({{lang|grc|ΚΝ}}) was an American college fraternity that was active from 1911 to 1961 when it merged with Phi Epsilon Pi.{{Citation

| last = Sanua

| first = Marianne Rachel

| title = Going Greek: Jewish College Fraternities in the United States, 1895–1945

| publisher = Wayne State University Press

| isbn = 0-8143-2857-1

| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=1u0sPzMEwOUC

| year = 2003

}}

History

Kappa Nu was founded at the University of Rochester on November 12, 1911. The founders were:

Joseph Bernhardt
Abraham Levy
Joseph Lazarus
Harold Leve
Morris Lazersohn
Louis Gottlieb

All six were pre-medical or medical students. Their intention was to create a local-only fraternity for Jewish students.

In 1917, five loosely connected groups (U of Rochester and others created by men who had left Rochester) held a convention in Rochester and set up Kappa Nu as a National Fraternity. By the 1918 convention, Kappa Nu had ten chapters. It continued to add chapters through 1931.[https://zbt.org/about-zbt/our-antecedent-groups/kappa-nu/ Our Antecedent Groups - Kappa Nu] Its executive offices were in Rochester, New York.

On October 14, 1961, Kappa Nu's thirteen active chapters voted to merge with Phi Epsilon Pi fraternity. Of these, three chapters declined to participate in the merger at campuses where Phi Epsilon Pi already existed. In 1970, Zeta Beta Tau absorbed Phi Epsilon Pi.{{cite book |editor1-first=Jack L. |editor1-last=Anson |editor2-first=Robert F. |editor2-last=Marchenasi |title=Baird's Manual of American Fraternities |edition=20th |year=1991 |origyear=1879 |publisher=Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. |location=Indianapolis, IN |isbn=978-0963715906 |page=VIII-9–10}}

Symbols

The badge is a diamond shield displaying a monogram of the Greek letters {{lang|grc|ΚΝ}} arranged horizontally along one plane below which is a six-pointed star and above which are {{lang|he|קנ}} (Kuf Nun, the equivalent letters in Hebrew), standing for {{lang|he|קשר נעורים}} or Kesher Neurim ("Ties of Youth").{{rp|54}} The jeweled base of the pin is surrounded by twenty pearls with an amethyst set at each of the corners. Its colors were purple and white.{{cite book|title=Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities|url=https://archive.org/details/bairdsmanualame00bairgoog|year=1920|publisher=G. Banta Company|pages=[https://archive.org/details/bairdsmanualame00bairgoog/page/n247 217]–218}}

As of 1920, the fraternity had a semi-annual publication called Kappa Nu. It also published a magazine, The Reporter, three times a year.Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (July 6, 2024) "[https://uofi.app.box.com/v/inactive-glos-mens Kappa Nu]". [https://www.library.illinois.edu/slc/national-fraternity-collections/fraternity-sorority-almanac/ Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities]. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed August 20, 2024.

Chapters

Kappa Nu established 27 chapters.

class="wikitable sortable"

!Chapter

!Charter date and range

!Institution

!Location

!Status

!Location

Alpha

|{{dts|1911|11|12}} – {{dts|October 14, 1961}}

|University of Rochester

|Rochester, New York

|Inactive

Beta

|{{dts|1915}}–1935; 1947 – {{dts|October 14, 1961}}

|New York University

|New York City, New York

|Merged ΦΕΠ

|{{Efn|Chapter formed from Rho Sigma Alpha. After going dormant, it was re-established as a colony in 1946.}}

Gamma

|{{dts|1915}}–{{dts|1926}}

|Columbia University

|New York City, New York

|Inactive

|{{Efn|Chapter formed from Rho Sigma Beta.}}

Delta

|{{dts|1915}}–{{dts|1925}}

|Union College

|Schenectady, New York

|Inactive

Epsilon

|{{dts|1917}}–{{dts|1934}}

|Boston University

|Boston, Massachusetts

|Inactive

Zeta

|{{dts|1917}} – {{dts|October 14, 1961}}

|University at Buffalo

|Buffalo, New York

|Merged ΦΕΠ

Eta

|{{dts|1918}}–{{dts|1934}}

|Harvard University

|Cambridge, Massachusetts

|Inactive

Theta

|{{dts|1918|3}}–{{dts|1919}}

|New York State College for Teachers

|Albany, New York

|Inactive

|{{Cite web |title=Bnai Chaim - Kappa Beta Fraternity - SUNY Albany - U Albany - Alumni |url=https://kappabetafraternity.com/about-kappa-beta/bnai-chaim/ |access-date=2024-08-21 |website=Kappa Beta Fraternity |language=en-US}}

Iota

|{{dts|1918}} – {{dts|October 14, 1961}}

|Union College

|Schenectady, New York

|Merged ΦΕΠ

|{{Efn|Chapter formed from the Apollo Club, established in 1917.}}

Kappa

|{{dts|1918}} – {{dts|October 14, 1961}}

|Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

|Troy, New York

|Withdrew

ΖΒΤ