On October 7th, 2023, tensions between Israel and Palestine culminated in a brutal attack on Israel that took the lives of over a thousand people, most of whom were civilians. As nations all around the world took stances on the conflict, college campuses were adversely impacted in a way we never could have anticipated. According to Hillel International, “[There have been] 1,278 total reported antisemitic incidents on college campuses since October 7 — a 700% increase compared to last year”. This sharp rise has led many college students to feel unsafe and unwelcome at their own school. Some of the top universities in the country, such as Harvard and M.I.T., have come under intense scrutiny for allowing antisemitic acts to continually take place on their campus and for failing to adequately protect their Jewish student body. The horrifying fact is that if antisemitic actions are happening at schools so close to us, they could happen at Bentley as well. In a time where so many college students feel marginalized and threatened, our Bentley Greek life community has chosen to take a stand.
The Greek life organizations on campus have decided to host Bentley’s first ever Walk to Remember on April 21st, 2024, at 4pm on the library steps. This event is meant to help address and combat all forms of antisemitism, including the denial of the 1933-1945 Holocaust. While this event was a collaboration between all the Greek life organizations, it was organized largely in part by Bentley’s chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEΠ or AEPi). AEPi is an internationally recognized fraternity, “operating chapters on more than 150 college campuses in four countries” (AEPi.org). The organization is recognized as a Jewish fraternity, with its core values being “demonstrated every day through acts of brotherhood, Tzedakah, social awareness and support for Jewish communities and Israel” (AEPi.org). While Bentley’s chapter of AEPi does uphold its connections to the Jewish faith, it is not a requirement to join the fraternity, and each year their pledge class includes a wide variety of religious affiliations.
When reporting on such an important event, it is crucial to get the insight and opinions of those closest to the project. I had the opportunity to speak with AEPi president, Josh Fontak, to ask him what inspired the creation of the Walk to Remember. Josh, who was instrumental in the planning of this event explained that “My grandparents are Holocaust survivors so with Yom HaShoah right around the corner, and Holocaust denial on the rise and antisemitism on the rise, I wanted to organize this event to make sure Jewish students don't feel isolated on campus”. This event is being hosted just a couple of weeks after Bentley Hillel’s speaker event on April 3rd which provided students with an opportunity to hear from Holocaust survivor, Werner Salinger. Avoiding talking about antisemitism is not the way to overcome this form of hatred. Discussing these difficult subjects is the only way we can become aware enough to work together and make a change. I would encourage everyone to attend Greek life’s Walk to Remember, if not for yourself, then for your friends and family members who may be feeling the presence of antisemitism on campus. Sitting by the sidelines and watching simply is not good enough, so stand up for something that matters and become the advocates and leaders Bentley wants us to be.
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