Scores of Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) chapters walked through their college campuses and communities this spring to bring Holocaust awareness directly to students and their campus community. While antisemitism and anti-Israel rhetoric and actions run rampant on college campuses, the brothers of AEPi, the world’s largest and leading Jewish college fraternity, wanted to make sure they helped raise awareness about the Holocaust through the fraternity’s “We Remember” campaign.
The campaign is a series of events and walks organized by AEPi brothers through their college campuses to raise awareness of the Holocaust and the atrocities committed against humankind.
The walkers are silent as they march through their campus and community, wearing only the words, “Never Forget” on signs attached to their shirts. On many campuses, the walks conclude with a short service by a local rabbi and/or are conducted in conjunction with a reading of names of those murdered in the Holocaust. On some campuses, AEPi helped sponsor events featuring Holocaust survivors speaking to the campus community. Participation in the events is voluntary and open to the greater campus and community.
“These are complicated and dangerous times on college campuses. The level of antisemitic rhetoric and actions that Jewish students are facing is virtually unprecedented,” said Rob Derdiger, AEPi’s chief executive officer. “We are immensely proud of our chapters who have stood strong in the face of this hate and worked to peacefully remind their campus communities about the atrocities of the Holocaust.
He continued: “Our Brothers march with signs saying, ‘Never Again’ and ‘Never Forget.’ That message has never been more important or needed than it is today. Our Brothers are living AEPi’s mission to develop the future leaders of the Jewish community.”
