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2018 ANNUAL REPORT
The Global Voice of the Jewish Community


Human Rights & Public Policy


B’nai B’rith and The United Nations

Engaging with world leaders is imperative to combating the anti-Israel animus that has become pervasive at the United Nations. B’nai B’rith International, active at the U.N. since the world body was founded, is committed to holding the U.N. accountable to its essential founding values and aspirations.

In recognition of her stalwart defense of Israel at the United Nations and refusal to accept the anti-Israel bias inherent in the U.N. system, B’nai B’rith International recognized the United States ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley with the B’nai B’rith Award for Excellence in Diplomacy.

Director of United Nations and Intercommunal Affairs David Michaels participated in a U.N. panel, on which he detailed B’nai B’rith’s efforts to commemorate the Holocaust, promote diversity and combat hatred around the globe.

Early in the year, B’nai B’rith hosted an event on international Holocaust Remembrance Day on the lesser-known history of Jews who risked their own lives to save other European Jews during the Holocaust. United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Fabrizio Hochschild spoke about his own German Jewish grandfather’s efforts to save many thousands of Jewish refugees by helping them immigrate to Bolivia.


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United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Fabrizio Hochschild

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United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Audrey Azoulay
B’nai B’rith leaders met with new United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director-General Audrey Azoulay, who has been given credit for helping to restrain a troubling trend of anti-Israel and anti-Jewish polemics at the organization over recent years.

B’nai B’rith also met with numerous ambassadors to UNESCO in Paris before a meeting of that body’s executive board and with numerous ambassadors in Geneva during the main yearly session of the Human Rights Council. At a diplomatic reception at the Palais des Nations there, a statement delivered on behalf of the director-general of the United Nations Office in Geneva saluted B’nai B’rith for its singular history and engagement at the U.N. Listen to our podcast to learn about this annual B’nai B’rith mission to UNESCO and UNHRC. The delegation advocated for fair treatment of Israel by these international bodies.

B’nai B’rith delivered a series of official public interventions at the Human Rights Council on issues including global anti-Semitism and bias against Israel. One statement condemned the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights for failing to speak out against anti-Semitic comments from the head of the Palestinian Authority, who even implied that Jews brought the Holocaust on themselves. In another, Director of U.N. and Intercommunal Affairs David Michaels said: “Israel alone stands as a democracy in the Middle East, a bastion of global humanitarianism.”

In September, a B’nai B’rith International delegation, led by President Gary P. Saltzman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin held meetings with dozens of world leaders on the sidelines of the 73nd United Nations General Assembly in New York. During these meetings, the delegation discussed priority issues including Iran’s threats to global peace and security, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, global anti-Semitism and continuing mistreatment of the Jewish state within U.N. bodies. The 2018 meetings included encounters with leaders from Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, India, Italy, Jordan, Mexico and Ukraine, among others. We view the meetings at the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly as an opportunity to provide a quiet setting to address some of the most pressing issues faced by our community and its friends.

B’nai B’rith CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin and Director of U.N. and Intercommunal Affairs David Michaels published an op-ed in The Hill praising the United States for taking steps to oppose Palestinian demands on the issue of refugees and to suspend funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), a United Nations body that frequently engages in shrill political advocacy against Israel and affords Palestinian refugees and their descendants special status and attention denied all other refugee populations in the world.

Also listen to our podcast on the U.S. withdrawal from funding UNRWA here.

B’nai B’rith Australia/New Zealand continues its strong efforts in the areas of advocacy. BBANZ participates at annual discussions in Canberra between human rights focused NGOs, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Attorney General’s Department.  B’nai B’rith and ECAJ are the only two Jewish organizations represented at these meetings.  

B’nai B’rith International also holds observer status at the United Nations, since its inception in 1947.

Public Policy and anti-Semitism

B’nai B’rith advocated for a range of international and domestic concerns on Capitol Hill, meeting frequently with Senate and House staff members on issues ranging from anti-Semitism, property restitution, and foreign aid to immigration reform. Director of Legislative Affairs Eric Fusfield provided written testimony to the House Judiciary Committee on anti-Semitism on university campuses. B’nai B’rith also supplied testimony to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights on anti-Semitic hate crimes.

B’nai B’rith’s diplomatic outreach extended to the State Department, where we attended the first ever U.S. government-sponsored conference on international religious freedom, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, where we spoke on anti-Semitism at conferences in Rome and Warsaw.

In Canada, after a years-long campaign, the University of Lethbridge confirmed that Anthony Hall, who B’nai B’rith Canada first exposed for his promotion of anti-Semitic tropes and conspiracy theories in the classroom in 2016, will officially retire and never again have access to the minds of impressionable students at the school.

And since anti-Semitism knows no borders, we also speak out at home. In Washington, we met with ambassadors to discuss Holocaust remembrance and restitution, relations with Israel and United Nations votes on the Middle East.  

We hosted Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos for a meeting in our offices and met at the White House for a discussion on the Middle East peace process with Jason Greenblatt, the administration’s special representative for international negotiations.

B’nai B’rith completed a nearly week-long visit to Israel with 11 senior international diplomats — six from Africa, three from Europe, one from South America and one from the Caribbean. The diplomats represent their countries at United Nations institutions in New York, the world body’s headquarters; in Geneva, home of the Human Rights Council; and in Paris, the base of UNESCO.

B’nai B’rith brought the diplomats to Israel to encounter firsthand the acute security and political challenges the country faces, as well as its vibrant democracy, cultural dynamism, technological innovation, humanitarian contributions globally and demographic diversity. The participants were also given the opportunity to become further acquainted with the singular history of the Jewish state, examining important archaeological discoveries and key biblical sites.
During their visit, the diplomats – who originate from Argentina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Greece, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo and Zambia, and who were joined at points by ambassadors to Israel from many of their own countries – met with officials from the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as Knesset members representing both the government coalition and the opposition in Parliament. In Jerusalem, they also visited Judaism’s foremost holy places and the Tower of David, paid tribute to the victims of Nazi genocide in a special ceremony at Yad Vashem – the World Holocaust Remembrance Center – and spoke with Israeli, Palestinian and foreign medical personnel at cutting-edge units of Hadassah University Hospital.
Additionally, they met with Christian, Druze and Baha’i leaders, reviewed anti-Jewish incitement in Palestinian school textbooks, toured an industrial area employing both Israelis and Palestinians and received a strategic briefing near Israel’s borders with Syria and Lebanon. On the eve of this week’s intensification of violence emanating from the Gaza Strip, they traveled to Israeli communities bordering that Hamas-controlled territory, learning about the terrorizing of residents with ongoing Palestinian rocket and aerial arson attacks, and met with the parents of Lt. Hadar Goldin, a young Israeli serviceman whose remains have been held hostage in Gaza since his death at the hands of Palestinians four years ago.

B’nai B’rith Europe is dedicated to combating anti-Semitism as well as promoting tolerance and intergroup understanding around the globe according to its motto “Benevolence, Brotherly & Sisterly Love and Harmony.” B’nai B’rith France is member of CRIF, the Jewish representative council gathering different institutions in France. B’nai B’rith France has been very active in leading intercultural projects regarding interfaith dialogue and fighting against all kind of discrimination.

B’nai B’rith CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin wrote on the growing threat of anti-Semitism across Europe in a Jerusalem Post op-ed. Read it here.

Global Perspective: European Affairs Office, Brussels

B’nai B’rith International has a full-time presence in Brussels, the home of the European Union, where we focus on promoting EU-Israel relations and advocate for Jewish issues at European institutions in Brussels.

Conference: Iran and its Proxies: Challenges to Israel’s Security

In June, the Brussels office of B’nai B’rith International co-organized, together with the Israeli Mission to the European Union and several members of the European Parliament, a conference with journalist and author Richard C. Schneider, “Iran and Its Proxies: Challenges to Israel’s Security.”  The conference, which took place in the German State Representation of Baden Württemberg to the European Union, featured a keynote speech from Richard Schneider followed by a panel discussion with Schneider and Israeli Mission Counselor Jonathan Rosenzweig as well as Members of Parliament Elmar Brok and Helga Trüpel.

B’nai B’rith facilitated additional meetings for the panelists with Israeli Ambassador to the EU and NATO Roni Leshno-Yaar, members of Parliament and the External Action Service, the diplomatic service and foreign and defense ministry of the European Union.

European Parliament Conference on Racism and Anti-Semitism in Soccer

As advisory board member of the official European Parliament Anti-Semitism Working Group, B’nai B’rith International co-organized a May conference inside the European Parliament. Called “Football Unites-Racism Divides,” the conference focused in two separate panels on best practices of international soccer (football) clubs, federations and NGOs in the field of combatting racism and anti-Semitism in the sport.

The anti-Semitism panel included speakers from football teams Chelsea F.C. and Borussia Dortmund, Jewish charity Community Security Trust (CST) and the Anne Frank House. B’nai B’rith organized additional meetings at the European Parliament and Commission for the panelists to share and promote best practices in the fight against anti-Semitism.

Expert Roundtable and Presentation on anti-Semitism in Europe

EU Affairs Director Benjamin Nägele gave a presentation at the Bulgarian Permanent Representation to the EU about the findings of the recent European Parliament resolution on anti-Semitism and the increase of anti-Semitism around Europe at a roundtable discussion organized by the Bulgarian Representation and the European Jewish Congress. EU Affairs Policy Advisor Dany Prist was also part of the meeting, along with other Jewish representatives, diplomats and high-level officials.

The meeting, chaired by Georg Georgiev, Bulgarian deputy minister of foreign affairs and national coordinator on combating anti-Semitism, focused on best practices and strategy toward the implementation of the European Parliament Resolution on combating anti-Semitism. 

Participation in EU Anti-Semitism Workshop in Florence

B’nai B’rith International EU Affairs Director Benjamin Nägele participated in a high-level workshop on Europe’s challenges of rising anti-Semitism hosted by European Commission Coordinator on Combating Anti-Semitism Katharina von Schnurbein, European University Institute’s Robert Schuman Centre and the Global Governance Programme. The workshop, which took place at the Schuman Institute in Florence, brought together special envoys of national governments and directors of leading non-governmental organizations to discuss joint efforts to combat anti-Semitism.

A video of the event, “Addressing Rising anti-Semitism in Europe, Global Governance Programme,” can be found here:  https://youtu.be/DZUAjQHRyfE

Presentation on B’nai B’rith Activities and Anti-Semitism at the European Commission

EU Affairs Director Benjamin Nägele gave a presentation about the Jewish advocacy work of B’nai B’rith International at the European Commission’s “Ambassadors Workshop,” which brought 26 Jewish students and young activists from 13 European countries to Brussels to participate in the anti-Semitism Survey. The survey was launched in conjunction with the Institute for Jewish Policy Research and the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights.

Student Seminar in Brussels

February, which brought 24 Jewish students and young leaders from across Europe and the United States to Brussels for a five-day seminar on Jewish advocacy.

The student group got an exclusive look inside the advocacy work of B’nai B’rith at EU institutions and NATO and met with high-level officials at the European Parliament and the European Commission as well as the U.S. embassy, including Commissioner for Justice Věra Jourová and Commissioner for Youth and Education Tibor Navracsics.

The students also participated in an anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) event held by the European Parliament Anti-Semitism Working Group and B’nai B’rith.

European Parliament Conference: Culture and Education – Bridges not Boycotts

B’nai B’rith International co-organized a conference called “Culture and Education – Bridges not Boycotts” inside the European Parliament. The official European Parliament Anti-Semitism Working Group event focused on the detrimental effects of the BDS movement and its anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist agenda and highlighted the negative impact it has on cultural and academic exchange and events in Europe. The event was hosted by the cross-party chairs of the working group, Members of the European Parliament Heinz Becker, Helga Trüpel, Juan Lopez Aguilar and Cecilia Wikström. The conference specifically addressed and opposed the visit and speech of Omar Barghouti, founder of the BDS movement, only one day after this event.

B’nai B’rith Europe Human Rights Prize

The Prizes Award Ceremony 2018 was organized by B′nai B′rith Europe and B′nai B′rith France in April at the Shoah Memorial in Paris. The goal of the event was to honor public leaders who act with a remarkable commitment for the defense of fundamental values. Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission coordinator on combating anti-Semitism, and Gilles Clavreul, former Interministerial Delegate for the fight against racism and anti-Semitism were awarded with this recogniztion. President of B′nai B′rith Europe Serge Dahan presented the Human Rights Prize of B′nai B′rith Europe to Katharina von Schnurbein.

B’nai B’rith Europe Meeting snd Dialogue At The Polin Museum In Warsaw

A meeting in Warsaw of B′nai B′rith Europe Lodges and the Jewish community of Poland focused on the Jewish community’s contribution to the Polish culture.

Diplomats: Up Close

B’nai B’rith International continues to interact formally and informally with diplomats, to help our members and supporters understand some of the biggest geopolitical issues.

At our Diplomatic Encounter series, hosted in our Washington, D.C. headquarters, guests hear from an ambassador about his or her country’s interactions with Israel and the United States. 


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Ambassador Tihomir Stoytchev

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Ambassador Luis Almagro Lemes

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Ambassador Ashok Kumr Mirpuri
In 2018, at our Washington headquarters, we hosted Tihomir Stoytchev ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria to the United States, on the Bulgarian presidency of the European Union. In the spring, we hosted Ambassador Luis Almagro Lemes, secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), on the OAS and human rights in Latin America. Over the summer, the B’nai B’rith Diplomatic Encounter Series featured remarks by Ambassador Wolfgang A. Waldner, ambassador of Austria to the United States, to discuss the Austrian presidency of the European Union. And in December, we invited Ambassador Ashok Kumr Mirpuri of Singapore to the United States, for a conversation on Singapore’s international outlook for the coming year.

Latin America: A Vital Partner

Uniquely among Jewish organizations, B’nai B’rith International has long had a strong presence across Latin America. Our first lodge in Latin America dates to 1926, when B’nai B’rith founded a lodge in Panama City, Panama. Our presence across the region allows us to closely follow the most important developments and advocate for policies and programs that positively impact the local Jewish population and Israel. We partner with other organizations to ensure that anti-Semitism and Holocaust education, for instance, are a focus at the governmental and local agency levels.

In 2018, B’nai B’rith was especially active in the Organization of American States. In April, Director of Latin American Affairs Eduardo Kohn and International Center for Human Rights and Public Policy Assistant Director Sienna Girgenti attended the Eighth Summit of the Americas in Lima, Peru, which focused on the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, the changes after elections in Paraguay, Colombia and Brazil and the urgency to protect democracy. Kohn and Girgenti met with Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary-General Luis Almagro to discuss Venezuela, Iran and elections in the region.

B’nai B’rith delegates also met with leaders of the Jewish Peruvian Association, including former President of B’nai B’rith Peru Benami Grobman. The group discussed how to combat anti-Semitism and BDS in Latin America.

In June, Kohn and Girgenti participated in the 48th regular session of the OAS 2018 General Assembly in Washington, D.C., and met with dignitaries and diplomats, including Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie. Main topics of discussion focused on the B’nai B’rith Argentina partnership with White Helmets to aid Venezuelan refugees in Colombia, the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and the response from the region and voting at the U.N. on Middle East issues.

Acclaimed international violinist and composer Federico Nathan, winner of the B’nai B’rith Uruguay Fraternidad Award for 2017, visited Israel in 2018 as a guest of the B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem on his first visit to the country.  

The Fraternidad Award is a signature project of B’nai B’rith Uruguay that has brought Uruguayan performing and visual artists to Israel for 35 consecutive years and takes place alongside a bi-annual project that brings Uruguayan scientists to Israel.

Nathan is one of the greatest improvisational violinists of our time. He performs as a soloist in ensembles and orchestras around the world. As a versatile musician, he participates in projects of a wide range of musical genres and leads his own project, which serves as an outlet for his fervent creative curiosity. Nathan calls his work “music for the inner child.”  

The B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem conducted a six-day mission to Israel in December with 12 members of Congress from Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, the first of its kind undertaken by B’nai B’rith.

The congressmen came to Israel to encounter firsthand the security and political challenges facing the country, its strong democratic institutions and its culture, history, technological innovation and demographic diversity.

The delegation was assembled in close cooperation with B’nai B’rith Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem Director Alan Schneider, B’nai B’rith Director for Latin America Eduardo Kohn and B’nai B’rith Chile Director Jorge Zeballos accompanied the mission.

Kristallnacht Commemorations in Latin America

Again this year, B’nai B’rith International held commemorations across Latin America to remember Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass.

In Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Brazil and Uruguay, B’nai B’rith held programs marking the 80th anniversary of the Nov. 9 and 10, 1938, Nazi terror against Jewish neighborhoods throughout Germany, Austria and parts of Czechoslovakia. Nazis vandalized thousands of Jewish businesses, burning and destroying more than 1,000 synagogues.

For the last 25 years, B’nai B’rith Argentina has organized Kristallnacht memorial ceremonies, and this year’s event took place in Buenos Aires, where Christians and Jews shared a solemn interfaith remembrance event in the Buenos Aires Cathedral with keynote speakers Cardinal Mario Poli and Rabbi Arie Bursztein, dean of the Latin American Rabbinic Seminar. Another keynote speaker was Secretary of Human Rights Claudio Avruj, former executive director of B´nai B´rith District 23. Avruj said, “This is an interfaith meeting gathering all of us in remembrance to help keeping memory alive and to commit all of us in combatting anti-Semitism.”

The presentation of two books with the memories of Holocaust survivors was the main event in São Paulo. Two Righteous Among Nations, Aracy Moebius and Leo Weil, received public tribute. B´nai B´rith Brazil works with the University of São Paulo and other educational institutions teaching the history of the Shoah.

B’nai B’rith Uruguay hosted 600 people on Nov. 13 for its memorial ceremony. The keynote speaker was the minister of the Supreme Court of Justice, Jorge Chediak, who has been president of the Supreme Court twice. The event was attended by the first lady, María Vazquez, former President Luis Lacalle, ministers, ambassadors, other ministers of the Supreme Court, presidents of the political parties, congressmen, religious leaders, such as Cardinal Daniel Sturla, and additional political leaders.

B’nai B’rith Chile and the Jewish Christian Confraternity organized a ceremony at the main Lutheran church in Chile. Another commemoration was held at the local Hebrew school, with several diplomats in attendance. The Israeli ambassador, Eldad Hayat, and the German ambassador attended both events.

B’nai B’rith Costa Rica held a Kristallnacht commemoration ceremony on Nov. 15 which had two keynote speakers: Thomas Walther, a former judge in Germany and Matitjahu Kellig, president of the Jewish community in Hertford-Detmold.  

B´nai B´rith Venezuela hosted a commemoration of the Night of Broken Glass in its hall in Caracas. The keynote speaker was the former president of the community, David Bittan.

Cuba Outreach – Cuba Jewish Relief Project

Our Cuban Jewish Relief Project has provided vital aid to the small Jewish community in Cuba since 1995. Our program is evolving as we seek new and creative ways to continue this longstanding support. Our disaster relief team has been working on a significant project to assist Cubans impacted by a series of hurricanes in 2018.

Interfaith Leadership

We work with other faith-based organizations to encourage a system of religious tolerance. This includes constant vigilance to ensure Israel is not misrepresented. To that end, we speak out against anti-Israel resolutions that have become more common at some religious organizations, academic institutions and in the business world.  

In June, B’nai B’rith spoke against a series of deeply distorted resolutions adopted on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict at the biennial General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Click here to read our statement.

Bridges of Tolerance

Bridges of Tolerance” is a transnational project for Central and Eastern Europe initiated by B’nai B’rith Europe, aimed at combating discrimination, racism and anti-Semitism, promoting mutual understanding and respect as well as European values. The aim of the 2018 edition “Contribution of national minorities in Romania to the diversity and vitality of European culture” was to strengthen tolerance through inter-ethnic dialogue. This year was also the opportunity to celebrate the Centenary of the Great Union.

International Women’s Day Conference

In March, B’nai B’rith Europe co-organized with the European Jewish  Community Center a conference at the European Parliament in honor of the International Women’s Day. The conference was entitled “Double-glass ceiling? Experiences of Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist Women. Challenges facing women in patriarchal and secular societies.” The conference illustrated the opportunity gaps between secular and religious women, with concrete examples, underlined the communication challenge between people from different cultural backgrounds and highlighted what needs to be done to end discriminations in the workplace.




B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community.

© 2019 : B’nai B’rith International, 1120 20th St. NW, Suite 300 North, Washington, DC 20036