The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi), the Jewish fraternity, have announced a new partnership to combat antisemitism and promote Israel advocacy on college campuses across the United States. The initiative, which was revealed during AEPi’s international convention in New Orleans over the weekend, will involve training and support for AEPi members to respond to antisemitic incidents and educate others about Jewish issues.
A shared history and vision
Both ADL and AEPi have a long history of fighting antisemitism and defending Jewish rights. They were both founded in 1913 in response to antisemitic events that affected the lives of Jews in America. For ADL, it was the Leo Frank case in Georgia that resulted in the only lynching of a Jew in US history. For AEPi, it was the rejection of a founding member by an existing fraternity at New York University because of his Jewish friends.
“ADL and AEPi were both founded in 1913 in response to antisemitism that had deep impacts on the day-to-day lives of Jews,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement. “This partnership unites our two historic organizations who share a vision: to confront hatred, combat antisemitism, and promote understanding across our campuses and communities.”
The Antisemitism Response Center
The partnership will include the creation of the Antisemitism Response Center, a resource for AEPi chapters to report and address antisemitic incidents on their campuses. The center will be staffed by a dedicated person who will work with ADL experts and AEPi leaders to provide guidance and assistance to the fraternity members.
“Our members are on the front lines of this battle on college campuses,” Rob Derdiger, AEPi’s CEO, said in the press release. “Since AEPi exists in both the Jewish and interfraternity communities on campus, our leaders have an opportunity to educate others about antisemitism and Israel.”
The center will also offer training sessions for AEPi members on how to identify and respond to antisemitism, as well as how to advocate for Israel in a positive and constructive way. The training will be based on ADL’s expertise and resources, such as its Antisemitism Uncovered guide and its Israel 3D program.
A timely and necessary initiative
The partnership comes at a time when antisemitism is on the rise in the US and around the world, especially on college campuses. According to a recent survey conducted by ADL and Hillel International, another Jewish campus organization, one-third of college students reported experiencing antisemitism on campus in 2021. Many of them felt excluded or discriminated against because of their Jewish identity or their support for Israel.
The survey also found that students who experienced antisemitism were more likely to be involved in Jewish activities or organizations, such as AEPi. Therefore, the partnership between ADL and AEPi aims to empower these students to stand up for themselves and their community, as well as to educate others about the diversity and complexity of Jewish life.
The initiative is expected to launch this fall, with the first training sessions taking place during AEPi’s leadership conferences. The goal is to reach all 150 chapters of AEPi, which has more than 10,000 undergraduate members and 100,000 alumni worldwide.
