A fraternity’s house was subjected to vandalism.
When Aaron Wolf of Temple’s Alpha Epsilon Pi chapter woke up today, Feb. 22, and left for work, he found his fraternity’s house had been subject to vandalism, targeting his organization’s religious affiliation.
A blue spray-painted “F— You Jews” and an unidentifiable mark had been applied to the back of the fraternity’s house, on Broad and Norris streets.
“I was the first one to see it. I woke up at 7:30 [a.m.] on the way to work and I passed it. Obviously I’m really offended by that, being [Jewish] myself,” Wolf, president of the Temple University Greek Association and a senior broadcasting, telecommunications and mass media major, said. “I don’t know what to say about it. It’s disgusting to me. I don’t know why someone would feel the need to do that and I don’t know who would do anything like that.”
Although AEPi is an international Jewish fraternity, Scott Rosnov, Temple’s chapter president, said the fraternity is not exclusive to Jewish men.
Rabbi Joseph Domosh of Temple B’Nai Israel in Burlington, N.J., has been the manager of the 2000 N. Broad Street property through the Greek Housing Alliance since 2008.
“I’m angry, I’m upset, I’m hurt. There’s a lot of mixed emotions. My grandparents were persecuted for being Jewish, so for me, this is personal,” Domosh said. “I have a problem that someone thinks it’s OK to put that very ugly statement on a building just because of someone’s religion.”
But those associated with the fraternity said the incident is an isolated one.
“This is an unfortunate incident, and it’s malicious and it’s hurtful,” said Phil Nordlinger, chapter adviser for the AEPi chapter and director of the Edward H. Rosen Hillel for Jewish Life. “It’s not indicative of anti-Semitism that exists on Temple’s campus. This is certainly an isolated incident.”
Barry Morrison, regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, a human relations organization that combats anti-Semitism, said his organization is acting as a consultant for the fraternity as it investigates the matter.
“Whenever these incidents occur, it’s important to deal with them in an appropriate fashion,” Morrison said. “To make sure that the incident is very carefully investigated, and that the intended target is given the support and reassurance that it needs.”
Deputy Director of Campus Safety Services Charles Leone said in an email that his department is reviewing campus-wide security cameras to review frame-by-frame activity in the area, and is also increasing patrols.
“Detectives will be canvassing the area, talking with neighbors and anyone who could assist in finding the persons responsible for this horrible act,” Leone said.
Morrison said that it’s important for people to understand that acts of hatred should be seen as everyone’s problem, to “make sure these acts of ugly expression are dealt with appropriately.”
“Sometimes these unfortunate incidents are an opportunity to strengthen ties between groups and the environment in which they occur,” Morrison said. “It’s important to keep these acts in context. They are typically not the work of hate groups, typically they stand alone.”
The Anti-Defamation League, Morrison said, keeps tracks of anti-Semitic acts across the country.
“The [number of] incidents [near Main Campus] are not significant. Temple is not a hotbed of intolerance for Jewish students. On the contrary, it’s a very favorable community,” Morrison said.
Leone said, on the surface, the incident appears to be ethnic intimidation.
“We cannot have this happen, so we will be going hard on this investigation,” he said.
The incident occurred just a day before a planned charity event at the house is slated to take place.
David Silver, a junior advertising major, said the fraternity is hosting “Broad Street Music Lounge,” a weekly, free live-music event that accepts donations that are proceeded to the Save A Child’s Heart Foundation. The nonprofit foundation assists children in developing countries in need of heart surgery.
“[The vandalism is] an awful look and we’re hoping we can get it removed as soon as possible,” Silver said.
“I feel very confident in finding those responsible and prosecuting fully to the extent of the law,” Leone said. “If they are Temple students, they will be processed through the Student Code of Conduct, as well.”
Angelo Fichera and Becky Kerner can be reached at news@temple-news.com.
If they are temple students they should be expelled and sent back to grade school and their partent should go back to school as well.. To be in college in this day in age and be this ignorant; makes no sense at all. The parents of these kids should feel ashamed; raise your kids better!
Their should be a personality and maturity test just to enter college.
Expulsion by the school
Vandalism charges time this system really serves justice. imprisonment for just being stupid over anything else by the law.
Not happening. things way more serious like death and theft happen around temple on a daily basis I would think thats far more important than finding out who wrote something on a frat building
Killings and death, far more important but its not temple students killing temple students… or anything its the area around campus…. this is something the school needs to take control over and the police departments need to back it..
It obviously wasn’t intended to just verbally harass the Jews… I know for a fact that myself, and many friends absolutely hate AEPi and most of the lame, dooshbag brothers there, who are mostly all Jewish. So if some pissed off kid decided to spray up their house, saying that about them is the equivalent to calling them all out. This kid refers back to the Holocaust, cry me a river. One remark against him and he uses such extremes. It’s just as ridiculous if everytime someone offended a black person they referred back to slavery, or the Irish to American persecution, the Scots to English backlash and so on. The fact of the matter is that A-E-Pi isn’t very popular around campus, and them being Jewish just gives some pissed off person something to rant about. I highly doubt the person that wrote that actually hates Jews. If Mr. Captain high warlord Aaron Wolf wants to go to extremes, then we can revert to the claim that who ever spray painted this on their wall must be a complete Fascist, aligned with the Nazi party, an underground movement of skinheads planning to mobilize against a Jewish population in the greater Philadelphia area.
Bobby, I believe the proper spelling of the word is “douchebag”.
Bobby, I can completely see how it wasn’t directed at the Jews…. Wait, no I can’t, it said F Jews. That’s a pretty direct statement if u ask me. Don’t be all but hurt because you didn’t get Into a frat, and make a ridiculous rant because of it. Close minded people like you is the reason shit like like this happens in the first place. If you or someone doesn’t like the frat get the sand out of your vagina and call them out for real, pussies do some shit like this, even if it was really just an F AEPi.
@ Mike, I am glad in your defense that this is a really horrible act against AEPi, which it is, you use sexist remarks. way to get your point across about not being close-minded. thanks.
Bobby Berkins, why are you so angry? Did any of the brothers do something to you? You seem very angry. Why don’t you take your paint brush or markers and go help paint some houses for the less fortunate.
… and as for the skinheads.. they’re a bunch of boys that probaby had bad hair!
What I think you all need to do is stop taking verbal jabs at eachother. Just because the Holocaust happened 70 years ago and segregation was about 50, it doesn’t mean it hasn’t hit home in a person’s life. So when you say, “Cry me a river” you have to realize people do take things personal. In your statement, someone could come back in asking about your devotion to Jesus even though what happened to him over 2,000 years ago.
You may hate certain people or a fraterntiy because of their members or what they did to your fraternity, but what that person wrote is cowardly and idiotic. If a person wants to write that on the wall, leave their name and stand behind their words.
This hate needs to stop. When you grow up and get out of college, you will realize how petty some of you are. Hate crimes and verbal abuse need to stop. You need to think before you write something on a building and then proceed to curse and play down major events in the past 100 years.
Lastly, if you reread this:
“Rabbi Joseph Domosh of Temple B’Nai Israel in Burlington, N.J., has been the manager of the 2000 N. Broad Street property through the Greek Housing Alliance since 2008.
‘I’m angry, I’m upset, I’m hurt. There’s a lot of mixed emotions. My grandparents were persecuted for being Jewish, so for me, this is personal,’ Domosh said. “I have a problem that someone thinks it’s OK to put that very ugly statement on a building just because of someone’s religion”
The Rabbi isn’t a student but manager of the property. So he has an absolute right to take it personal. It’s his family and his own property.
It was obviously just some drunk asshole who thought it would be hilarious to write and not because hes actually anti-Semitic. Everybody calls AEPi the “jew frat” and the people in AEPi “the jews”, regardless of whether or not their jewish. So he essentially just wrote Fuck AEPi. Everybody relax, it’s not the end of the world.
Whether or not this was an antisemitic attack or an anti-AEPi attack is unclear, but in either case, the perpetrator decided to use the word “Jews” which makes this an attack against the entire Jewish community at large. Had he used the word AEPi instead this wouldn’t even justify an article. If you choose to recognize it or not, this is a hate crime and should be treated as such. The perpetrator should be found out and expelled from school if he is a student.
Bobby, you clearly have a lot of growing up to do and need a broader understanding of the world outside of your school. This is not about fear of a skinhead revolution nor is it about some feud that may be occurring between some fraternities, it is about the use of the word “Jews”. The person who wrote that used it intentionally or not which makes it a hate crime and makes it offensive to every Jewish person on this planet. To me the only way you would know that is if you wrote it yourself, which by your comments does not seem so outlandish. I pity you and your anger and hope you can learn to look at situations without blinders on in the future.
Wait, Bobby .. so if it’s ok to write “Fuck you Jews” on a Jewish fraternity, is it ok to write “Fuck you Blacks” on a black fraternity house?
Aaron Wolf war lord? Have you ever met the kid? lol, sweetest guy ever!
Love you AEPi!!
Bobby Berkins while it is certainly reasonable for individuals to rant about a less desirable group on campus you are attempting to normalize hate speech. Regardless of how you feel about the individuals in AEPi, it is not acceptable to write such inflammatory commentary on a university’s campus. Remember, we attend school in hopes of bettering ourselves and hopefully learning to have respect for our fellow man. If you or any of your friends have grievances with the individuals in AEPi you are more than welcome to complain to the officials on campus. And while you sit here and try to give reasons why these actions are not an issue you are essentially eroding the moral fibers of our society. For you the fact that Jews were slaughtered in the Holocaust, African-Americans lived under Jim Crow, slavery and constant discrimination are all meaningless occurrences. In reality sir, they serve as reference points for the horrors mankind is capable of committing and as a liberal society it is our responsible to ensure that no single group will be targeted.
“Bobby Berkins” is not a real person. That post was copied and pasted from Temple Track and Field Matt Haas’ Facebook posting to Hillel member Molly Weinberg’s wall. Word for word. He got a lot of rebuttal after posting there, now I guess he’s posting anonymously here.
Bobby berkins is the man!!!!!! If only more could see clearly
dude, seriously? the entire jewish community? get over yourselves people.
you wanna call this a hate crime and get all pissed off, and that’s obviously what the person who did it wants you to do, regardless of whether it was directed towards jews as a whole or AEPi. It said “Fuck YOU Jews” not “Fuck THE Jews”. Truth is, AEPi is a bunch of douche bags, and nobody is ever going to figure out who the fuck it was, so getting all pissed off about it is just tickling whoever did it’s fancy.
what a shame for the losers who have nothing better to do with their time! its obvious they dont have loving parents to care enought to give them the amazing PRIVELEDGE of going to college! The boys who live in this frat, are amazing young men who are smart, loving and kind. They will make a difference with their lives, unlike the vandalist who will go no where in life! JEALOUS! IT WILL NEVER END!
Whoever did this is an immature a-hole.
I would expect the students of Temple University to rally behind AEPi and help with the painting and repairs. We have come a long way to be known as “Diversity University.” Communicate and educate towards peaceful, constructive and positive discussions. Hate crimes are an act of cowardice and do not accomplish anything.
Peace, love, health and happiness to all,
maxformal.com
Paul L Formal CLA 1973
Back when I was in school in Aepi the last time dudes said some stuff like that to us they didn’t ever say it again. Hopefully equal retribution is sought after and paid to those that vandalized this house. Those were the old days though, when there was still character left in men. Now everyone’s a bunch of sissy’s not sure of quite what to do.
It’s not anti-Semitic if it was written by a Jew … Maybe they’re just specifying these particular Jews