Fresh off of starting an exploratory committee to get the pulse on a NYC mayoral run, Red Apple Group and Gristedes Foods chairman John Catsimatidis last week visited B’nai B’rith’s real estate unit lunch. We snapped the Clinton Democrat-turned-Republican, who said, “You can’t beat up companies to create jobs and beat up banks to hope they’ll extend money.” He was particularly concerned that New York is No. 50 in the US for economic development. Offer incentives to build and spend money here, he says. “Don’t scare them away with taxes.” What's critical: getting more people in the right positions, he says, and more biz people in politics...more.

by Ron Kampeas

In the wake of the shooting rampage in Newtown, Conn., Jewish groups are looking to build alliances and back legislation to strengthen gun control laws.

B'nai B'rith International on Monday demanded the reinstatement of the assault weapons ban.

"Assault weapons enable a shooter to fire multiple rounds without stopping to reload as they automatically expel and load ammunition with each trigger-pull," B'nai B'rith said in a statement. "There is no sane, acceptable, reasonable need in a civilian setting to fire off large rounds of ammunition."...more.

Daniel S. Mariaschin, executive vice president of B'nai B'rith International, speaks on the PBS special "First Freedom:  The Fight for Religious Liberty." 

> Watch the segment at the 1:05:55 time-stamp.

Even while we grieve and try to come to terms with the senseless Dec. 14 assault on an elementary school, we must also look ahead to ensuring such a horrific mass shooting never happens again. In the wake of the gruesome Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., where gunman Adam Lanza murdered 26 people, 20 of them children, it is well past time to demand sensible gun control measures.

B'nai B'rith calls for the reinstatement of the assault weapons ban, which went into effect in 1994, but was not renewed when it expired a decade later. At the time, 1,100 police chiefs and sheriffs from across the country urged the law be renewed and strengthened. Other meaningful, enforceable gun control measures are also needed...more.

La organización judía B´nai B´rith emitió hoy un comunicado repudiando la agresión que sufrió la joven Tania Ramírez a la salida de un local bailable de Montevideo y expresó su solidaridad con la víctima, su familia y las organizaciones afrodescendientes del país.

"Creemos que en forma inmediata se debe proceder a investigar este bárbaro hecho para que todos los responsables por acción y por omisión sea sometidos a la Justicia y se les aplique todo el peso de las normas legales anti discriminatorias previstas por nuestras leyes", agrega el texto...more.

Una delegación de B'nai B’rith Internacional, encabezada por su presidente Allan Jacobs y el vicepresidente ejecutivo Daniel Mariaschin realizó una gira por Alemania, donde se reunió con la canciller Angela Merkel.

Durante la visita a Berlín, el grupo se reunió con los principales miembros del Bundestag, funcionarios gubernamentales de alto nivel que representan a los ministerios de Relaciones Exteriores y del Interior, representantes de los organismos gubernamentales responsables de la migración y la integración y asesores de la Cancillería...more.

La Fraternidad Hebrea B’nai B’rith de Venezuela y su Comisión de Derechos Humanos entregaron el 22 de noviembre el Premio de Derechos Humanos 2012 al padre Luis Ugalde s.j. Este galardón es el máximo reconocimiento que hace la B’nai B’rith a personalidades nacionales que se han destacado por su labor humanística, aportes al desarrollo social y a la paz.

El acto se llevó a cabo en las instalaciones de la Fraternidad y contó con la presencia de embajadores y miembros del cuerpo diplomático, directivos comunitarios y personalidades locales...more.

B'nai B'rith Argentina
Sr. Director
Radio Jai

Miguel Steuerman

De nuestra mayor consideración:

En nombre de B ´nai B´rith Argentina felicitamos a RADIO JAI por sus primeros veinte fructíferos años de vida y realizaciones. La simple aventura de los principios, de la que B´nai B´rith Argentina se siente copartícipe por haber sido la primera institución comunitaria que dio su apoyo al emprendimiento, dio paso a la pujante realidad de un medio comunitario que trasciende las fronteras.

Deseamos a Uds. muchos años más de realizaciones y compromiso con la causa comunitaria y del Pueblo Judío.

Saludamos a Ud. con nuestro tradicional Shalom!!!!!

b'nMario Barmat
Dr. Mario Wilhelm

Secretario

by Bradley Schlegel

After the illumination of two lights on the menorah above the stage at Railroad Plaza in Lansdale Saturday night, Alan Gold gave a sermon explaining the difference between Christmas and Hanukkah.

Many families in the North Penn region have Jewish roots, according to Gold, who, with the help of members of the North Penn B’nai B’rith, has organized the ceremony the last 17 years...more.

by Chavi Moskowitz

UNESCO's international symposium regarding the Permanence of Yiddish was held in Paris on November 12 and 13 and brought together an eclectic group of internationals. Over the course of five round-table sessions, academics, journalists, teachers, artists, and UNESCO representatives presented their unique contributions to the preservation and promotion of usage and awareness of Yiddish.

Some of the attendees and speakers were Yiddishists that learned the language later in life, some lucky enough to call Yiddish their mamme-loshn (mother tongue), and others lacked the words to speak in Yiddish, but nonetheless feel an attachment to the rich Yiddish culture that once was. Irene Ores, a member of the B'nai B'rith Representation to UNESCO, opened the symposium with a question, rhetorical perhaps, "Why are we here? Why a conference on Yiddish at UNESCO?" The answer, "I want to start to reconstruct something, with all my heart, but maybe not logic."

The symposium presented an important opportunity to delve into the vitality of the Yiddish language and understand that Yiddish is still a relevant language. Dan Mariaschin, Executive VP of B'nai B'rith International, told the audience, "A connection with Yiddish honors the past, and speaking it connects it to the future."

...more.