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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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| Contact: Executive Director Laurence A. Bolotin, CAE, Alpha Zeta (University of Florida) '01 | | March 23, 2016 | lbolotin@zbtnational.org; (317) 334-1898 |
ZBT takes a strong stance against hate
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana — Continuing our efforts and our commitment to being leaders in the fight against hate on campus and in our communities, Zeta Beta Tau is growing a new educational campaign titled Hate Against One is Hate Against All.
Through a multi-faceted education program promoting awareness and dialogue, Hate Against One is Hate Against All breaks down barriers and stereotypes, encourages students to have real conversations about hate culture and empowers brothers to act.
This program is funded by a generous grant from the Zeta Beta Tau Foundation's Heritage Initiative. If you would like to support the Heritage Initiative, please donate to the Zeta Beta Tau Foundation at zbt.org/donate.
“As an organization founded because Jewish men were discriminated against from joining existing organizations, it is with great pride that ZBT continues to educate our brothers and the community about acceptance of all different types. Issues facing our brothers go beyond just anti-Semitism and this campaign is designed to not only end all forms of hate on college campuses but also to prepare our brothers for the diverse world they will live in,” said Executive Director Laurence A. Bolotin, M.Ed., CAE, Alpha Zeta (University of Florida) '01.
Hate Against One is Hate Against All has several components that feed into the larger educational initiative.
|  Students from the University of Texas at Austin participated in Words to Action recently. |
|  Students from Indiana University participated in Words to Action recently. |
The campaign has allowed ZBT to expand our partnership with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) in bringing the Words to Action program to more campuses. The program includes anti-hate awareness education, interactive discussion with students sharing their own examples of hate culture and an in-depth look at the history behind stereotypes and connections to modern day.
ZBT also has partnered with three other Greek organizations — Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority and Sigma Delta Tau Sorority — to bring Words to Action to hundreds of students on campuses across the United States.
Students are directly encouraged to participate by the social media aspect of the movement through the campaign's dedicated hashtag, #whyshouldicare. The social campaign is inspired by Martin Niemöller's statement "First They Came for the Jews," which takes a provocative stance on apathy and how that can lead to a hate spiral.
Promoting a social media component helps challenge bystander behaviors and drive a sense of need to better one's society in young adults. Some of the messages shared so far by participants in the #whyshouldicare campaign from the recent BBYO International Conference 2016 include:
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"I should care because everyone deserves a helping hand when they fall #ZBTBBYO"
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"#whyshouldicare about anti-Semitism? Bc I will not be silent while my friends and I are harassed for what we believe in"
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The Fraternity also engages high-school-age students through our Brother to Brother program, which will partner with members of AZA Chapters across North America to empower young men as advocates and activists in areas such as campus safety and healthy relationships. Brother to Brother is a companion piece to our Safe Smart Dating program, co-hosted by Jewish Women International (JWI) and Sigma Delta Tau Sorority, which educates young men and women on dating safety.
The Hate Against One is Hate Against All campaign will continue to grow with more community outreach and partner connections in the coming months.
In Spring 2016, ZBT will host campus and community forums with a focus on discussion of all forms of hate and how to respond. The forums are set for major metropolitan areas including Los Angeles, New York and Boston, where alumni and undergraduate brothers can come together with community leaders to participate in a directed dialogue about how to create a culture of anti-hate.
ZBT also is partnering with Ask Big Questions to bring this communication-oriented program to our chapters. This Hillel International-founded program strives to make the world a better place by leading college students to have deep conversations on a variety of topics. ZBT volunteers and staff will be trained in Summer 2016 by Ask Big Questions leaders, and the program will launch within ZBT in Fall 2016.
Learn more on the Hate Against One is Hate Against All campaign at zbt.org/hateagainstone.
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Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity was founded in 1898 in New York City as the world's first Jewish Fraternity. ZBT is a Brotherhood of Kappa Nu, Phi Alpha, Phi Epsilon Pi, Phi Sigma Delta and Zeta Beta Tau. ZBT is represented on more than 90 campuses in the United States and Canada and has more than 130,000 undergraduate and alumni brothers throughout the world.
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