In the past few years, Colorado State’s Jewish Fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi), has made huge strides on campus since they were founded in the spring of 2013.
On April 23, 2017, AEPi officially became a recognized chapter, shedding their colony skin. “It has been a long time coming and we never could have done it without the help of everyone who has been involved,” said Andrew Schneeweis, former president of AEPi.
A chartering ceremony took place and there were many important people who attended. Michael Morris, the Vice Chairman of AEPi, Jeffrey Jacobson, the Supreme Scribe on the Board of Governors, Andy Borans, the executive director of AEPi, as well as some alumni.
The ceremony included awards for the brothers, a speech from their faculty advisor, Rabbi Yerachmiel Gorelik, and a presentation of the rituals.
Pacific Northwest Educational Leadership Consultant from AEPi, Harris Cohen, also gave a speech during the ceremony and explained how AEPi welcomed him into their family with open arms when he first started the position and he can’t wait to see what else is in store for the fraternity. He also mentioned that CSU’s chapter has what it takes to become the best AEPi chapter in the country.
“We have seen improvements in different areas year after year and to get recognized as a chapter by our national organization is a great honor,” said Schneeweis. “While this is a huge accomplishment, it is also a reminder that we must continue on our path of growth and improvement.”
In addition to becoming chartered, there’s also some exciting news happening on Laurel Street. Soon, the boys next door will be the brothers next door. Five AEPi brothers are moving right next to the Hillel house, creating a closer bond between Hillel and the fraternity.
“We decided to move next door to Hillel mainly to connect more with the Jewish community,” said Jake Silbar, one of the AEPi brothers moving in. “We hope that AEPi will see this house as an official fraternity house where we are able to connect with potential new members, as well.”
“We’re all very much looking forward to working with Alex [Amchislavskiy] and we hope being next door will open our fraternity events up to more of the Jewish community at CSU,” said Sam Roll, another brother moving next door.
Overall, AEPi is growing, from being chartered to moving next to the Hillel house. “Our short term goal was to be chartered by our national organization,” said Schneeweis. “Our long term goal is to be a fraternity that provides opportunities for men to grow and advance on both personal and professional levels while having a lasting, positive impact on the community.”
The Jewish community at CSU looks forward to seeing what else is in store for the Jewish fraternity and how they will continue to grow and have a positive impact on campus.
