B’nai B’rith International has opened its Flood, Tornado and Hurricane Disaster Relief Fund in the wake of the devastating tornado that ripped through the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore on May 20, killing at least 24, injuring many more and flattening much of the town. The death toll is still expected to rise.

The funds raised will be used to help the victims of the tornado as they look to rebuild their town, which has been described by many as now resembling a war zone.

The tornado moved across a 20-mile stretch with winds of at least 200 mph. In the path of the deadly storm were a hospital and an elementary school, both of which were destroyed. Rescue workers labored throughout the night searching for survivors amongst the wreckage.

This is the third major tornado to devastate the area in the last 15 years.

“No amount of advanced warning could have prepared the people of Moore for the horrors this storm has brought. We’re going to do our best to help these people get back on their feet,” B’nai B’rith International President Allan J. Jacobs said. “B’nai B’rith has helped disaster victims since 1865. Each disaster we help with has its own unique challenges. As always, we will carefully evaluate needs and provide assistance to address immediate needs and longer term rebuilding efforts.”

The B’nai B’rith Flood, Tornado and Hurricane Disaster Relief Fund aided victims of Hurricane Sandy in the fall of 2012, as well as the victims of tornadoes in the South and Midwest. B’nai B’rith disaster relief funds have  also provided aid to victims of the famine in East Africa, the 2011 tsunami and earthquake in Japan and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti; and provided humanitarian assistance to the Somali refugees fleeing violent conflict to Kenya.

“The images of Moore are absolutely gut-wrenching. But as bleak as things look right now, we need to press on and help our fellow citizens rebuild their lives,” B’nai B’rith Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin said. “We will work with representatives of agencies and our members on the ground to provide assistance where it is needed in the wake of this tornado.”

To help, donate online at our secure website by clicking here.

You can also call 800-573-9057 to make a credit card contribution over the phone. Or, you can send a check payable to the B’nai B’rith Disaster Relief Fund to:

B’nai B’rith International

Flood, Tornado and Hurricane Disaster Relief Fund 2020 K Street NW, 7th Floor
Washington, DC 20006

B’nai B’rith International is outraged as Iran is set to chair the United Nations-sponsored Conference on Disarmament from May 27 to June 23, despite the country’s ongoing efforts to obtain nuclear weapons.

Iran will chair the conference by way of protocol, with the 65-nation meeting rotating chairs based on alphabetical order. Hungary chaired the last conference.

For Iran to head this conference is a total farce and further legitimizes a regime that blatantly defies the will of the international community. On top of its nuclear weapons program—for which Iran has been repeatedly sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council—Iran is the world’s most active state-sponsor of international terror, supplying arms to a number of terrorist organizations, including Hezbollah. Iran is also guilty of being a serial human rights abuser.

B’nai B’rith commends the United States Mission to the United Nations for its refusal to attend the conference while Iran presides. It is clear Iran has no interest in disarming or disbanding its nuclear weapons program, and this meeting will merely serve Iranian propaganda purposes.

B’nai B’rith International has issued the following statement:

B’nai B’rith International commends the Newseum for deciding against honoring two men who worked for Al-Aqsa Television, a Hamas propaganda entity. The Newseum was previously set to honor the two men with the Journalist Memorial, a tribute given to reporters who died while gathering and reporting news.

On May 12, B’nai B’rith expressed outrage over the Newseum’s plans to honor the Hamas operatives. We welcome the decision by the Newseum to rescind the award as questions of potential terrorist activities began to surround the honorees.

The men worked for Al-Aqsa Television, a station noted for airing anti-Israel programming featuring shows and characters that call for Israel’s destruction and violence against Israelis. The U.S. government describes Al-Aqsa as a Hamas-controlled entity.

B’nai B’rith International has issued the following statement:

It is outrageous that the once-prestigious Newseum, a museum devoted to honoring and celebrating journalism, has chosen to honor two terrorists, claiming they were journalists. This shameful decision is a taint on the museum.

The Washington, D.C.-based museum has chosen to honor two men who worked for Al-Aqsa Television, a Hamas propaganda entity notable for airing anti-Israel programming featuring shows and characters who call for Israel’s destruction and violence against Israelis.

The U.S. government describes Al-Aqsa as a Hamas-controlled entity.

To have these Al-Aqsa propagandists receiving the same Journalist Memorial award bestowed upon such journalists as Daniel Pearl, the Wall Street Journal reporter murdered by terrorists in 2002, is a disgrace.

The Journalists Memorial recognizes 2,246 journalists killed in the line of duty. The two Hamas terrorists should not be among them.

The B'nai B'rith World Center in Jerusalem announced the 2013 winners of the B’nai B’rith World Center Award for Journalism Recognizing Excellence in Diaspora Reportaģe in Memory of Wolf and Hilda Matsdorf. Moshe Alafi, documentary film director and producer, received the award in the electronic media category, while Zvika Klein, a reporter for Ma’ariv and Makor Rishon, received the prize in the print media category. The judges also presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to veteran journalist David Landau, former editor-in-chief of Ha’aretz and managing editor of The Jerusalem Post. The award was given to Landau for his contribution to extended Diaspora reporting during his tenure at both newspapers.

Since its establishment in 1992, the B’nai B’rith World Center Award for Journalism has recognized excellence in reporting on contemporary Diaspora-Jewish communities and on the state of Israel-Diaspora relations in Israeli print and electronic media. The award is widely recognized as a prestigious prize in the Israeli media industry. It was established to highlight the important contributions the media can make toward strengthening the relationship between Israel and world Jewry—so essential for the resilience of both—by encouraging quality reporting on Diaspora communities and Israel-Diaspora relations.

The distinguished panel of judges include: Yehudith Auerbach, professor in the School of Communication at Bar Ilan University; Eytan Bentsur, former Ministry of Foreign Affairs director general; Sara Frenkel, former Diaspora correspondent for Israel Radio and 2002 Lifetime Achievement Award winner; Shalom Kital, former director general of News Company and Channel 2; Tamar Liebes, professor and former head of the Department of Communication and Journalism at Hebrew University; Gabriela Shalev, professor and chair of the Higher Academic Council at Ono Academic College, as well as a former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations; Bambi Sheleg, founder and editor-in-chief of Eretz Acheret, and a 2011 award winner; and Asher Weill, publisher and editor of ARIEL - The Israel Review of Arts and Letters.

The jury presented the award in the print media category to Klein, 30, the Judaism section editor for Maariv’s online newspaper NRG. Klein is also the Diaspora correspondent for NRG and Makor Rishon. In 2012, Klein penned a nine-article series for Makor Rishon on various aspects of Jewish life in the Diaspora, including the singles scene in Manhattan, virtual religious communities and the effect of the Toulouse, France, murders on the Jewish community.

Alafi, 47, received the award in the electronic media category for his series “Communities in a New Light 2012” that was broadcast on Israel Television/Channel 1 during the 2012 Hanukah holiday. The series presented vignettes about the Jewish communities in Toronto; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Odessa, Ukraine; Oslo, Norway; Torino, Italy; Toulouse, France; and Boston.

"The marked increase of applicants and entries for this year's award over recent years is indication that interest in Diaspora Jewry and Israel-Diaspora relations is strong and growing among Israelis and encourages us to continue with this important project," B'nai B'rith World Center Director Alan Schneider said.

The B’nai B’rith World Center Award for Journalism is named for the late Wolf Matsdorf and his wife Hilda. Wolf was an editor of the B’nai B’rith World Center Journal “Leadership Briefing” and a journalist in Israel and Australia. Hilda was a pioneer in social work in both Australia and Israel. The Lifetime Achievement Award is named for Luis and Trudi Schydlowsky.

The Award is made possible through donations from Daniel Schydlowsky, a professor and a member of the B’nai B’rith World Center International Board of Governors, and the Matsdorf family. 


(Photos by David Winokor and Alex Levac)

B’nai B’rith International has issued the following statement:

B’nai B’rith has been informed by a senior U.N. official that 9/11 “truther” Annie Machon will not be a speaker at a June 6 briefing on “[saving] succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” Last month, B’nai B’rith learned that the U.N. Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organizations Relations section (DPI/NGO) and the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations planned on including Machon in the panel discussion they were scheduled to host at U.N. headquarters in New York. B’nai B’rith wrote to both U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the Swiss mission to urge that Machon be disinvited from the program.

Machon, a former MI5 intelligence officer, has publically insisted that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were an inside job carried out by the U.S. government “as a pretext for war and… to erode our freedom,” as she was quoted as saying in a 2007 interview. She has also claimed that the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, was behind the 1994 bombing of Israel’s embassy in London, saying that a staged terror attack would help paint Palestinians in a negative light throughout the United Kingdom and undermine any public support for them. 

B’nai B’rith had noted the extreme inappropriateness of an appearance by Machon at the United Nations. Her outrageous and offensive views do not deserve a prominent platform—let alone in the city most scarred by the horrific events of 9/11. 

On April 15, Israel celebrated its 65th year of independence. Not only were there celebrations throughout the Jewish state, it was a chance for Jews all around the world to commemorate the nation’s independence. Among those joining the celebration, while also celebrating a milestone of its own, is B’nai B’rith International—the oldest and most widely known Jewish humanitarian, human rights and advocacy organization.

During all 65 of those years, B’nai B’rith has been an active partner with Israel, from the inside and out. B’nai B’rith’s activity in the Holy Land even precedes the modern Jewish state. In fact, B’nai B’rith is celebrating 125 years in the Holy Land with the announcement of a two-week, guided excursion to Israel.

“With our 170-year anniversary as an organization and 125 years in Israel, we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than a trip to the Jewish state,” B’nai B’rith International President Allan J. Jacobs said. “The Holy Land is for everyone, and B’nai B’rith’s staff is excited to share what it knows about Israel by way of a two-week tour that’s sure to leave a lasting impression.”

The trip is intended to give visitors an insider’s look at Israel. Over the course of 14 days, travelers will experience many of the cultural and historic sites Israel has to offer. Some of the highlights include multiple nights in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, visits to the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea, exploring Roman ruins, and even a special Sabbath dinner at a private residence.

B’nai B’rith’s involvement with Israel began in 1865 when the U.S.-based organization sent more than $65,000 (in today’s dollars) to help combat an outbreak of cholera. In 1888, the B’nai B’rith Jerusalem Lodge was established—10 years prior to the first Zionist Congress. Since then, B’nai B’rith has continued its support of the Jewish state, from the 19th century, through independence in 1948 and to the present. B’nai B’rith’s work continues through the B’nai B’rith World Center in Jerusalem where our staff works to improve interreligious relations and serves as a link between Israel and the Diaspora.

“B’nai B’rith’s long-standing relationship with Israel and our commitment to supporting the Jewish state through humanitarian, advocacy and educational projects gives us a special perspective on Israel, both past and present” says B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin. “We look forward to sharing this history with those who choose to join B’nai B’rith on this historic trip and are excited to add a new chapter to B’nai B’rith’s history in Israel.” 


For more information on the trip, please click here. 

B’nai B’rith International has issued the following statement:

B’nai B’rith International is outraged to learn the Jewish fraternity Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) from St. Andrews University in Scotland was forced to relocate its annual charity ball from the St. Andrews Golf Hotel. Hotel officials claim they cancelled the fraternity’s event after hotel staff allegedly received threatening phone calls and emails from activists linked to the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

AEPi’s event was moved to an undisclosed location in the wake of the alleged threats.

It is absolutely unacceptable for the hotel to have been intimidated into cancelling the event.

B’nai B’rith expresses solidarity with its partner in AEPi and congratulates the organization on holding a successful event without disruption. 

The B’nai B’rith International Board of Governors bestowed the Distinguished Humanitarian Award on Amy & Bruce Pascal and Michal Mazal & Daniel S. Mariaschin on April 25 at the Sphinx Club in Washington, D.C.

The award recognizes their long-term and exemplary dedication in their work with B’nai B’rith and beyond. All four have demonstrated personal and professional commitments that embody the very core of Tikkun Olam—making the world a better place.

“Amy & Bruce and Michal & Dan represent the pinnacle of exemplary leadership in humanitarian causes,” B’nai B’rith International President Allan J. Jacobs said. “I’m just so pleased to present this award to four outstanding individuals who have stepped forward each and every day to make a positive difference in the Jewish community and the world.”

B’nai B’rith Board of Governors member Gwen Zuares hosted the event. B’nai B’rith Honorary President Joel S. Kaplan presented the award to Mazal and Mariaschin, and Rabbi Levi Shemtov of the American Friends of Lubavitch presented the award to the Pascals.

Bruce Pascal has been an invaluable and enthusiastic member of B’nai B’rith’s Board of Governors for a decade. Though he has a particular interest in the B’nai B’rith’s International Center for Human Rights and Public Policy, his attention to B’nai B’rith’s multi-faceted work has been limitless. Bruce also devotes his considerable energy to State of Israel Bonds and to Rachael’s Women’s Center, a safe house for homeless women.

Professionally, Bruce is executive vice president of CBRE, a real estate firm. He earned the Greater Washington Commercial Association of Realtors “Broker of the Year Award” in 2009 and in 2010, was the organization’s top leasing agent in Washington, D.C.

Amy’s community involvement is also diverse and far-reaching. She recently chaired a fundraising drive for the Children’s National Medical Center’s Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant Outpatient Center. This effort enabled the hospital to close the funding gap needed in order to build the dedicated center for the youngest of patients who are vulnerable to infection in the common areas of the hospital.

Additionally, for the past three years, Amy has chaired Mitzvah Day, which benefited multiple groups such as The Children’s Inn at NIH, Coalition for the Homeless Men’s Emergency Shelter, The Lord’s Table community soup kitchen, Manna Food Center, Bikes for the World, Interfaith Clothing Center and other local charities.

She has also hosted fundraisers for Freedom Now and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

In 2011, Bruce and Amy co-chaired the 33rd annual Ambassador’s Ball held in Washington, D.C. 

Dan Mariaschin and his wife, Michal Mazal, also receiving the Distinguished Humanitarian Award, have made an impact at the local, national and international level.

Nearly all of Dan’s professional life has been working on behalf of the Jewish community. 2013 marks Dan’s 25th year with B’nai B’rith, where he currently serves as executive director of the organization as well as director of B’nai B’rith’s International Center for Human Rights and Public Policy. In this dual role, Dan directs all B’nai B’rith programs, services and staff in more than 50 countries.

Dan is the public face of B’nai B’rith, meeting with world leaders to advance human rights, help protect the rights of Jewish communities and promote better relations with Israel. Dan is regularly interviewed in the media and his many op-eds have appeared in news publications around the world.

In recognition of his tireless work in Central and Eastern Europe, Dan received the Cultural Pluralism Award from the U.S. Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad and received state decorations from the presidents of Latvia, Lithuania and Romania. He was also a recipient of the Golden Bough decoration from the Foreign Ministry of Bulgaria, among many other accolades.

Dan’s wife, Michal Mazal, has also dedicated her time and effort to the Jewish community. Michal was born in India and raised in Israel. Upon completion of her service in the Israel Defense Forces, Michal worked in Tel Aviv at Beit Hatfutsot, the Museum of the Diaspora. After moving to the United States, she coordinated the scholars-in-residence program at the American Zionist Youth Foundation, which brought Israeli speakers to Jewish communities across America, and she served as a correspondent for the Israeli women’s magazine, Olam Ha-Isha. 

B’nai B’rith International is pleased and honored to recognize four such outstanding individuals who devote their considerable talents to humanitarian causes.

B’nai B’rith International is appalled to learn that the U.N. Department of Public Information/Non-Governmental Organizations Relations section (DPI/NGO) and the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations will be hosting 9/11 “truther” Annie Machon at its panel discussion on June 6 on “[saving] succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” 

Machon, a former MI5 intelligence officer, has publically insisted that the 9/11 terror attacks were an inside job carried out by the U.S. government and that they were “designed as a pretext for war and designed as a pretext to erode our freedom,” as she’s quoted as saying in a 2007 interview.

“It is unimaginably inappropriate for Machon to be speaking at U.N. headquarters given her worldview,” B’nai B’rith International President Allan J. Jacobs said. “To blame 9/11 on a massive conspiracy is vile and outrageously disrespectful to the victims of the attacks in the city she’s speaking in.”

Machon has also claimed that the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad was behind the 1994 bombing of the Israeli embassy in London, saying that a staged terror attack would paint Palestinians in a negative light throughout the United Kingdom and shatter any public support for them.

“These claims are reprehensible and don’t deserve to be given a platform at the U.N.,” B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin said. “The Swiss Mission to the U.N. should immediately rescind the invitation for her to speak.”