Sports

Annual UGA TEP v AEPi basketball games raises over $24000 for … – Red and Black

Published

10 months ago

November 16, 2023

admin

Members of Tau Epsilon Phi (wearing white) and Alpha Epsilon Pi (wearing blue) face off play during its annual charity basketball game at Clarke Central High School gym in Athens, Georgia on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023. AEPi won 59-53. (Photo/Felix Scheyer; @felixscheyer)
The annual basketball game between the University of Georgia chapters of Alpha Epsilon Pi and Tau Epsilon Phi on Sunday raised over $24,000 for the American Friends of Magen David Adom, an Israeli aid organization.
Magen David Adom is the non-government funded Israeli representative of the International Red Cross, according to their website. They have been providing aid to Israel since 1930.
This year, UGA’s Sigma Delta Tau and Hillel also supported the event by raising the $24,000 over a span of three weeks before the game. Tickets were $5, and raffle tickets for a football signed by Kirby Smart were $5 for three.
“This year, Jewish communities [are] somewhat struggling around the United States, and this brings people together and is just a wonderful occasion for everybody to get together and have fun,” Jeremy Lichtig, UGA Hillel director, said.
Members of Tau Epsilon Phi (wearing white) and Alpha Epsilon Pi (wearing blue) face off play during its annual charity basketball game at Clarke Central High School gym in Athens, Georgia on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023. AEPi won 59-53. (Photo/Felix Scheyer; @felixscheyer)
The score was close throughout most of the game, with TEP occasionally tying things up. However, multiple free throws in the final minute sealed the deal, continuing AEPi’s turn as reigning champs. AEPi won the game with a final score of 59-53.
Though the game is an annual tradition, it took on extra meaning this year for participants due to the current Israel-Hamas war. AEPi, TEP and SDT are all historically Jewish Greek life organizations.
“I think everyone’s trying to make sense of the situation, like our place in it … while there’s stuff going on overseas 6,000 miles away,” Ethan Engel, a senior finance major and member of TEP, said. “It’s about supporting Israel, it’s about supporting each other.”
Members of the Jewish community from all ages came out to support the event and its cause. Talking about the importance of the event was emotional for Michal Niv, the mother of a TEP member, whose family is in Israel.
“We want to show our support to Israel,” Niv said. “[It’s] very emotional. It’s giving us strength to continue.”
The loud sounds of sneakers squeaking against the floor could barely be heard over the cheers in the gym of Clarke Central High School. Both fraternities were packed into the stands and on their feet to cheer on their teams.
Fans cheer during the annual charity basketball game between Tau Epsilon Phi and Alpha Epsilon Pi at Clarke Central High School gym in Athens, Georgia on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023. AEPi won 59-53. (Photo/Felix Scheyer; @felixscheyer)
The TEP and AEPi teams wore white and blue jerseys respectively — the colors of the Israeli flag — and their fans had their own outfits of choice. TEP fans matched their team by wearing white T-shirts, while several members of AEPi showed up in blazers.
Though the game was a competition, however, for participants, the day was really about community.
“At the end of the day, we’re all Jewish and we need to be unified in that cause, and I really just wanted to raise awareness and show support,” Noah Amsterdam, a senior player on AEPi’s team, said.
Members of Tau Epsilon Phi (wearing white) and Alpha Epsilon Pi (wearing blue), as well as University of Georgia Hillel director Jeremy Lichtig and police officers responsible for monitoring the event, smile for a photo during the annual charity basketball game between Tau Epsilon Phi and Alpha Epsilon Pi at Clarke Central High School gym in Athens, Georgia on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2023. AEPi won 59-53. (Photo/Felix Scheyer; @felixscheyer)
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly identified the teams in the photo captions. The Red & Black regrets this error, and the error has since been corrected.

The Athens-Clarke County Regional Library System (ARLS) was under suspicion of being noncompliant with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), according to an ARLS press release. Since this discovery, the ARLS Board of Trustees voted on Oct. 19 to pay all the penalties to the IRS to resolve the unpaid taxes and penalties.

Here are 5 top stories you may have missed this week.

The 101st annual University of Georgia Homecoming Parade traveled from West Hancock Avenue to East Clayton Street on Friday, carrying on a legacy of tradition.

Athens Clarke-County is holding a special election to fill the position of the ACC Clerk of Superior and State Court on election day, Tuesday, Nov. 7.
The UGA chapter of Student Veterans of America gathered at 7 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 6, to place 700 flags outside of the Zell B. Miller Learning…

This semester, Laurie Achin, a University of Georgia Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Special Education, is teaching a new course called Visual Gesture-Communication, which teaches students how to use gestures to communicate instead of a spoken or signed language.
{{description}}
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
Submit a news form with your thoughts, questions or feedback.
Read the digital edition of the newspaper
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.
We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:

source