We’ve all heard of AEPi, and of its mysterious disappearance from Brandeis Greek life. Well, now AEPi is back and better than ever. I spoke with Danny Reisner, President of the new AEPi chapter, to get some of the details on the newest frat on campus.
HC: Why did you guys decide to get AEPI up and running again?
DR: The idea came from Dean Kaplan, who was in the middle of pledging AEPi when they got shut down last year. Obviously he wasn’t happy about it so he approached me and some of the other people who eventually became the new founding fathers. We were working on it for a majority of second semester last year, and the representatives from Nationals came at the beginning of this semester to facilitate the reformation. We decided to do it so soon after it was shut down because it felt strange to not have a chapter of AEPi (THE international Jewish fraternity) at Brandeis, a school with such a large Jewish population.
HC: Who makes up the AEPI board? In other words, who are the guys running the show?
DR: The AEPi board consists of myself as President, Jake Altholz as Vice President, Jake Cohen as Treasurer, Morris Didia as Secretary, Toby Bern as Member-at-Large, Luky Guigui as Rush Chair, and Dean Kaplan as Pledge Master. We will also have other members in leadership roles on our minor board, which will include a Philanthropy Chair, an Athletics Chair, and a Jewish Life Chair.
HC: Any plans for a house?
DR: We don’t have a house for this year, but we are actively trying to find the perfect one for next year. We have in our heads what we want and we know that it is going to be very big and very nice.
HC: What is currently your role on the AEPi board?
DR: Currently I am President, although that title will turn into Master when we are initiated as brothers following our completion of the Founding Fathers’ program. This means that I am in charge of overseeing day-to-day activities, running e-board and general meetings, and communicating with alumni of the Lambda Beta colony from our 25-year history and AEPi’s national representatives.
HC: What are you most looking forward to as president of the “new” AEPI?
DR: I am really just looking forward to this entire experience. We have an incredible group of Founding Fathers that consists of campus leaders from a variety of clubs and who are all-around good guys. I think we have been given an incredible opportunity to mold this fraternity in a positive way. And I am excited because I know that we will make the most of it.
HC: Give me a brief description of your pledge process. How many pledges do you currently have, and how many do you hope to recruit in the future?
DR: Right now, the Founding Fathers are in a very unique situation in that we don‘t have to pledge. Instead we have to go through a program that involves 5 events that we need to have before we can get initiated as brothers. Of course, the continuation of this fraternity will rely on having pledges. We are hoping for a large pledge class in the spring to be the cornerstone of building our future. While we haven’t figured out the pledge program yet, it is very clear to all 29 Founding Fathers that we have a Zero Tolerance policy when it comes to hazing.