Vandals deface private residence utilized by AEPi

By Karen Parry in La Jolla, California

We want to make you aware of an incident that occurred at the home of Jewish students at UCSD over the weekend.

We will not allow antisemitism or hate to diminish our Jewish pride or deter our Jewish joy.

I want to pull back the curtain a little bit and be real with you. Over the past 24 hours, Hillel has checked in multiple times with students, coordinated with University police, SDPD, worked with our partners at UC San Diego, SCN, and all the other Jewish agencies, provided meals and will continue to provide dinners all week for students, communicated with our community, helped facilitate rabbinic support, and purchased extra security devices for four different student homes– again all in a matter of hours. We also raised enough in the moment to make that happen, as these are not expenses normally worked into our budget.

While we all hope each incident is the last, the reality is that vandalism, harassment, and threats have not stopped. We have decided to launch a new Community Safety Fund to address these needs as they arise. Rather than launching an emergency fundraiser after each incident, this fund will allow Hillel to respond immediately with security, meals, emergency assistance, and other critical support, ensuring Jewish life across San Diego remains safe, visible, and strong.

The goal is simple: no Jewish student should ever have to question whether they can safely host friends, celebrate a holiday, or gather with their community. Today, some students are hesitant to host events or even invite others into their homes because they worry about becoming targets. That cannot become the new normal.

If you’d like to help proactively, you can donate here. We are hoping to have a fund of at least $15,000 to ensure we can respond to security issues and crises immediately.

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Karen Parry is the executive director of Hillel of San Diego.

Statement by AEPi chapter at UCSD:

Last night, brothers of Alpha Epsilon Pi at the University of California – San Diego (UCSD) were targeted by antisemitic and hateful vandalism at a private residence where members live. This was not random. It was a deliberate act meant to intimidate Jewish students and to single out AEPi for who we are and what we stand for.

Let us be clear: it will not succeed.

AEPi will not be silenced or deterred. We remain proud of our Jewish identity and values. Acts of hate will only strengthen our resolve to live openly and confidently as Jewish students on campus.

We are already working with our campus partners, the university administration and local law enforcement to find the perpetrators and to take concrete, visible action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students, especially Jewish students who are being explicitly targeted.

We hope to use this moment as an inflection point at UCSD by bringing meaningful educational programs to our campus community – programs focused on combating antisemitism, fostering understanding, and breaking down the barriers of ignorance and hate.

Alpha Epsilon Pi exists to develop the future leaders of the Jewish community. Leadership is not passive. Leadership means standing firm in the face of hate, refusing to retreat, and choosing courage over fear.

This moment demands leadership and we will lead.

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Preceding provided by AEPi