Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. Photo Credit: ADL.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is partnering with Greek-life college fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) to launch the new AEPi Antisemitism Response Center.

Coming amid a 41 percent increase of antisemitic incidents at US institutions of higher education, the center, announced on Monday, will serve as a “centralized system for reporting and tracking antisemitic incidents on campuses” and launch other initiatives that alert the wider public to growing problem of antisemitism.

As The Algemeiner has previously reported AEPi chapters themselves have been targets of antisemitic hate crimes, including several eggings of their off-campus houses at Rutgers University. Elsewhere, Jewish and Zionists have been expelled from school clubs, banned from campus and have experiences more outward expressions of hatred such as the graffitiing of swastikas on or near Jewish institutions and adoption of the boycott, divestment, sanctions (BDS) movement.

Founded at New York University in 1913, Alpha Epsilon Pi is the largest Jewish fraternity in the world, with over 150 chapters spread across four countries and 100,000 alumni. Every year, its chapters hold “Walks to Remember,” a march around campus that commemorates victims of the Holocaust. In May, the national office named a new deputy director in Andrew Feuerstein, who will lead the organization’s efforts to raise funds and sustain relationships with alumni.

“Our members are on the front lines of this battle on college campuses,” Alpha Epsilon Pi chief executive officer Rob Derdiger said in a media statement. “Since AEPi exists in both the Jewish and intrafraternity communities on campus, our leaders have an opportunity to educate others about antisemitism and Israel,”  “This partnership with ADL will give AEPi Brothers around the world additional tools and training to help them track and fight antisemitism and become more effective advocates for Israel and a broader understanding of Jewish communities.”

According to Monday’s announcement, the center, also known as ARC, will open during the 2023-24 academic year, staffed by one full-time staff official who coordinates its programming in cooperation with ADL and AEPi staff.

“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 chief executive officer Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement on Monday. “This partnership united our two historic organizations who share a vision: to confront hatred, combat antisemitism, and promote understanding across our campuses and communities.”

Follow Dion J. Pierre @DionJPierre.