B’nai B’rith Begins the Celebration of our 170th Anniversary this year.  What Will Be The STATE OF THE JEWISH WORLD When B’nai B’rith Celebrates 175 Years?

• Will Iran still constitute a mortal threat to Israel?
• Will global anti-Semitism be contained?
• Will efforts to delegitimize Israel still be rampant?
• Will the Social Security “safety net” be weakened?
• Will Iran continue to make dangerous inroads into Latin America?

Learn more about our 2012 conference below.

PRESS RELEASES
Policy Conference Wrap-Up
> Sen. Joe Lieberman and Ambassador Michael Oren Highlight 2012 B'nai B'rith Policy Conference; Allan J. Jacobs Re-Elected President

Re-Elected President
> Allan J. Jacobs of Lake Forest, Ill., Re-Elected President of B'nai B'rith International

Re-Appointed Chairman of the Executive Committee
> Gary P. Saltzman of Centennial, Colo., Re-Appointed Chairman of the Executive Committee of B'nai B'rith International

Notable Speakers
> Michael Oren, Israeli Ambassador to U.S., Outlines Threats Facing Israel at B'nai B'rith Policy Conference
> Sen. Joe Lieberman Calls for Bipartisanship in Washington; if Sanctions Don't Work, U.S. Should Lead Global Coalition

Elected Senior Vice Presidents
> Ira Bartfield of Arlington, Va., Elected B'nai B'rith International Senior Vice President
> Leon Birbragher of Bogota, Colombia, Elected B'nai B'rith International Senior Vice President
> Daniel Citone of Rome Elected B'nai B'rith International Senior Vice President
> Haim Katz of Jerusalem Elected B'nai B'rith International Senior Vice President
> Charles Kaufman of Austin, Texas, Elected B'nai B'rith International Senior Vice President
> Rosalind Klein of Northridge, Calif., Elected B'nai B'rith International Senior Vice President

Re-Elected Treasurer
> Seth J. Riklin of Sugar Land, Texas Re-Elected Treasurer of B'nai B'rith International 

Re-Elected Chief Justice
> William K. Peirez of Great Neck, N.Y., Re-Elected Chief Justice of B'nai B'rith International

Moe and Berdie Kudler Award
> Jerry Magel of Los Angeles Recognized for Efforts to Feed the Hungry

Label A. Katz Award Winners
> Eduardo Weinstein of Santiago, Chile, Wins 2012 B'nai B'rith Outstanding Young Leader Award
> Stephen Stern of Annapolis, Md., Wins 2012 B'nai B'rith Outstanding Young Leader Award
> Jorge Silberberg of Montevideo, Uruguay, Wins 2012 B'nai B'rith Outstanding Young Leader Award
> Rebecca Saltzman of Denver Wins 2012 B'nai B'rith Outstanding Young Leader Award
> Edwige Ouaknine of Lev, France, Wins 2012 B'nai B'rith Outstanding Young Leader Award
> Ralph Attie of Panama City, Panama, Wins 2012 B'nai B'rith Outstanding Young Leader Award

> B'nai B'rith Argentina

> B'nai B'rith Chile

> B'nai B'rith Latin America and the Caribbean (Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curacao, Ecuador, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Venezuela)

> B'nai B'rith Uruguay and Paraguay

> B'nai B'rith World Center in Israel

OVERVIEW
The 2012 B’nai B’rith International Policy Conference has brought together young adults, seniors and those in between to discuss the most important issues facing global Jewry today.

From the moment the 2012 Policy Conference opened until the concluding session that will be spent on Capitol Hill visiting congressional representatives and their staffs, attendees had the chance to get the most reliable information available anywhere, ask questions and dialogue on the most critical issues on the contemporary Jewish agenda.

Topics included:

• Counter-terrorism: Keeping Israel and the rest of the Jewish world safe from terrorists.
• The relentless campaign to delegitimize Israel.
• The views of the U.S. presidential candidates on Israel and other key issues of Jewish communities around the world.
• The scourge of anti-Semitism in Europe, Latin America and elsewhere.
• The ongoing threat to Israel from Iran.
• Protecting the safety net for seniors: preserving and enhancing Social Security and Medicare.
• The United Nations: friend or foe for Israel?
• And other vital issues

It’s not enough to just learn about and discuss critical issues, to really make a difference you need to present your views to those who have the power to effect change.  Tuesday morning kicked off with a strategy breakfast on how to be an effective advocate and then members from across the country traveled to Capitol Hill where they had a chance to meet with congressional representatives and their staff on key domestic and international issues.

For additional information e-mail conference@bnaibrith.org.

The B'nai B'rith World Center in Jerusalem and the ‪Ecumenical Theological Research Fraternity in Israel convened on September 4th the seventh meeting of their joint "Liaison Committee" - an informal Jewish-Christian initiative reconstituted in 2010 to foster better mutual respect and understanding between local Jews and Christians in a congenial atmosphere and as a platform for raising and resolving issues that impact on both communities. the meeting was dedicated to a presentation by Ambassador Mordechay Lewy, ambassador of Israel to the Holy See, who completed his tour of duty - and his 37-year diplomatic career - just two days earlier.

Ambassador Lewy's candid lecture on “Israel-Vatican and Jewish-Catholic Relations Today and into the Future” was followed by a lively Q & A and discussion session led by Ecumenical Fraternity director Rev. Dr. Petra Heldt among the participants who included leading Jewish and Christian  academics, municipal officials, journalists and institutional representatives.
Ambassador Lewy opened his presentation by praising the Liaison Committee for serving "as a spearhead in Jewish-Christian relations in Israel." He detailed the trials and tribulations of serving as Israel's representative to the Holy See and the special historic responsibility carried by the ambassador also as a representative of the Jewish people. World Center Director Alan Schneider opened the meeting by condemning the previous day's arson attack against the Trapist Monastery in Latrun near Ramle, attributed to "hilltop youth" protesting the court-ordered expulsion from the settlement of Migron. "Regardless of what is happening around us, there can be no justification for attacking any property, much less a religious institution and house of prayer and contemplation.  We must all call for an end to these despicable and deplorable acts of violence that gain nothing but further animosity for the settler movement."‪ 

‪​Mordechay Lewy joined the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1975. His appointment as Ambassador to the Holy See in May 2008 followed postings to Bonn, Stockholm, Berlin (as the first Consul General after the Unification), and later as DCM and Ambassador to Bangkok, as well as a 4-year assignment to the Jerusalem Municipality as the Mayor’s Special Advisor for Religious Communities. Lewy is a widely published scholar on Jewish/Israel-Catholic/Church relations and is also an enthusiast on the topic of tattoos of Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land throughout the ages. His personal interest in Christian matters began with a Masters Degree in history, in which he researched the “Rise of monastic orders in the emerging medieval cities in Europe”.‪ He will now pursue a Ph.D. in ancient European history based on medieval maps.

The Honorable Julissa Reynoso, who started her Mission as U.S. Ambassador in Uruguay three months ago, addressed in B´nai B´rith Hall in Montevideo on September 4, 2012. Before this first assignment as Ambassador, Reynoso served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Central America and the Caribbean in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the Department of State. She holds a B.A. in Government from Harvard University, a Masters in Philosophy from the University of Cambridge in the U.K., and a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law.

Her speech was attended by more than 250 people from the B´nai B´rith, leadership of other Jewish organizations, the Israeli Ambassador Dori Goren and other diplomats, and media.

The presentation was based on "The role of civil society organizations promoting educational opportunities and social inclusion." She spoke in depth about the work that is done in the U.S. vis-a-vis NGOs to support those in need, above all in education and health, and also mentioned the social work the U.S. Embassy in Uruguay is supporting in this country.

Ambassador Reynoso underlined that NGOs should be opened to all those volunteers who want to work; that it is necessary that NGO work must have four pillars:

> government,
> volunteers,
> professional staff, and
> companies.

She also praised Keynes´ ideas in the economic field and agreed with the people that made a question about following Keynes´policies, that Jon Keynes need a public tribute for all the world has received from his work and ideas.

B´nai B´rith explained Mrs. Reynoso about the program "Getting Forward"(Salir Adelante)***. BB Uruguay will meet her shortly to present the program and both parties will study the possibility  that the Embassy can join the sponsoring of "Getting Forward."

> Read the U.S. Embassy of Uruguay Blog (SPANISH)
> Download additional photos from the event on the U.S. Embassy of Uruguay flickr page (SPANISH)

***Salir Adelante is a program for promoting and supporting young students from public high schools who live in critical social contexts, but at the same time these students have a very good academic record. B’nai B’rith, in association with the State allow them to finish High School successfully. BB provides and supports them with all the supplies they need, and we are able to do it through the joint work of BB and the sponsors: educational materials, computers, medical care, transportation, internet access, etc. The scholarship give the students these benefits not only for them but also for their families; and demand from them commitments in the academic level all the time and to participate or develop in a social program in their community/school. The grant is renewed every year until the end of High School: a total of three years. This program puts together the work of the State through the High School Official System, Civil Society (YMCA), the coordination of B’nai B’rith through professional staff and volunteer committee, and the companies which have decided to back generously this successful program

B'nai B'rith St. Petersburg held a Jewish Humor Day on September 2 in Russia.

Members came together for a meal and a laugh.  The program was held in-conjunction with the Hesed Abraham business club.

Leadership of B'nai B'rith St. Petersburg are looking to turn it into an annual program.