At the Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEπ) Convention in 2004, they announced a partnership with Gift of Life to raise awareness among college students throughout North America about the life-saving potential of bone marrow transplants. The partnership was facilitated by Jonah Zinn, then Lorber Director for Jewish Programming at AEπ. Zinn learned about Gift of Life through an article where Jay Feinberg expressed an interest in partnering with Jewish organizations on college campuses.
 
AEπ is a global Jewish college fraternity that provides opportunities for men seeking a better college experience. Their role is to encourage Jewish students to remain dedicated to Jewish ideals, values, and ethics so that, one day, the student will become a leader among his family, community, and people. The fraternity has 155 active chapters through the United States, Canada, Israel, and the United Kingdom; though AEπ is a Jewish fraternity, it is non-discriminatory and is open to all men who are willing to support its purposes and values.

Since the founding of this exciting partnership, AEπ has recruited a grand total of 4,440 potential donors for Gift of Life, which has facilitated in 28 transplants for patients in need. AEπ of York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada is at the top of the leader-board, and their recruitment efforts, so far, have facilitated 6 transplants.

"The relationship between AEπ and the Gift of Life has been a point of pride for our organizations,” says Adam Teitelbaum, current Lorber Director of Jewish Programming and Philanthropy. “ Our ability to teach undergraduate Brothers and their local communities about the importance of self-sacrifice and helping people in need is a life lesson that helps make our Brothers stronger men and members of the Jewish people. Additionally, having such a direct and strong connection to the Jewish communities around North America, AEπ sponsored bone marrow registry drives have led to the unprecedented and ever impressive potential donor matches and actual donations. Moving forward, AEPi anticipates nothing less than continuing to build our relationship with the Gift of Life and educating our Brothers and their peers about the opportunity to save a life!"

Gift of Life is excited to continue its partnership with AEπ, and we look forward to many more years of educating young college students on the benefits of donating bone marrow and recruiting potential donors for the worldwide registry. If you would like to run a donor drive on your college campus or your community, please contact Shayne Pilpel at spilpel@giftoflife.org.