B'NAI B'RITH IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND AROUND THE GLOBE
WINTER 2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Welcome to IMPACT
- B’nai B’rith Meets With World Leaders on Sidelines of United Nations General Assembly
- Triennial Meeting of the B’nai B’rith Board of Governors
- Amplifying Jewish Student Voices Initiative
- Students Confront Anti-Semitism on College Campuses in None Shall Be Afraid Essay Contest
- Online Anti-Semitism Guidebook Includes Contributions from Latin America
- B’nai B’rith Hosts Father Patrick Desbois in Israel
- B’nai B’rith Israel Emergency Fund: Standing with Israel
- On Seniors: Technology: a Love-Hate Relationship
- B’nai B’rith Connect Engages Young Leaders Through Diplomatic Encounters and Community Service
- Special Exhibit Offers Terrifying Glimpse of Hostages’ World
- B’nai B’rith Remembers October 7: A Day of Terror. A Testament to Strength
- B’nai B’rith Assists Hurricane Victims
- Connect Delegates Engage in Foreign Affairs During Kakehashi Trip
- Online Israel-Hellenic Forum Presented in October
- Conference on Anti-Semitism Held in Costa Rica in November
- Krakow Ceremony Honors Second Annual B’nai B’rith Gratitude Awardees
- B’nai B’rith Uruguay Helps Local Children Through its School Outreach Program
- European Affairs Director Alina Bricman Addresses Terror and Global Anti-Semitism at Programs in Hungary and Belgium
- Holiday Festivities Hosted by Isadore Garsek Lodge
- B’nai B’rith History Becomes Personal During Storytelling Festival
- Daniel S. Mariaschin Participates in Romanian Commemoration
- 2024 European Days of Jewish Culture Festival Celebrates “Family”
- Kristallnacht Remembered by Citizens of All Faiths in Latin America
- Standing Together for Jewish Unity—Rally in Washington, D.C.
- B’nai B’rith Rallies for Hostages
- Conversations with B’nai B’rith Podcast
- Backstory: B’nai B’rith’s Orphanage in Erie, Pa.
Welcome to IMPACT
Every few months, we get to see the full gamut of B’nai B’rith’s global reach revealed in one place: the IMPACT quarterly newsletter.
The IMPACT team is excited to share these updates, which highlight the strength and even the spirit of B’nai B’rith staff, leaders, members and supporters around the world.
Throughout this newsletter, you will learn how we are fighting anti-Semitism, promoting Jewish continuity around the world and lifting up our own communities. You will read about initiatives and programming that showcase our mission, including community service projects, right in the myriad backyards where we serve.
In the Winter issue of IMPACT, you can also read about B’nai B’rith’s global work, demonstrating the reach and relevance of B’nai B’rith’s mission around the world.
Read on as we journey to Israel, Poland, Romania, Japan, Uruguay, Texas, New York, Washington, D.C. and beyond to share the work of our staff and volunteers. You will also find a focus on global anti-Semitism, our Connect young leaders and lending a helping hand where it’s needed.
We appreciate connecting with you via this newsletter. Uniting in this way enables us to build up our community and demonstrate our B’nai B’rith pride.
Thank you for being an integral part of our meaningful achievements.
–Best wishes from the IMPACT team
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Todah Rabah
President, B’nai B’rith International
I am writing this final column moments after the end of our B’nai B’rith commemoration of the Oct. 7 massacre, which has been the most important, life changing event of my presidency. The world changed on that horrible day, and as it has for 181 years, so has B’nai B’rith.
Over the last year I have had the opportunity to talk with leaders from around the world about the importance of Israel and the fight against terrorism. I have also consoled released hostages and the families of hostages on behalf of our members.
As I have traveled the world over the last three years as president of this organization, I have felt your support and your love for B’nai B’rith. We are all closer and more united today. Our efforts to bring in new members are having tangible effects. The battle against anti-Semitism has been a focus for all of our brothers and sisters, as the last year has seen a 1,000% rise in such hateful activity. We have together risen to the challenge, and we will continue our fight.
These efforts have paid dividends. B’nai B’rith is stronger financially than it has been in years. The number of members seeking leadership positions is high. The elections that will be held in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 12, 2025, will be highlighted by the running of a three-way race for the next president of our esteemed organization. Our disaster relief, our senior housing activities and our work at the United Nations have grown in importance and success.
Photo: Leslie E. Kossoff/LK Photos
Our CEO, Dan Mariaschin, and the rest of our staff in Washington, New York, Jerusalem, Montevideo, Buenos Aires and Brussels have realized many great accomplishments during my term. Getting to know most of our staff over the last three years, I can tell you that their efforts are a labor of love for our great organization. We are fortunate to have so many amazing, dedicated people to carry out our mission worldwide.
The staff is surpassed in its efforts only by the work of our volunteers around the globe. The vibrancy and work of B’nai B’rith in Europe, Latin America, New Zealand and Australia, touches so many lives in their local communities and in Israel. In many countries, the rise in anti-Semitism has complicated our efforts over the last year. But we will always stand together and stay strong as we continue to work together.
I want to thank all of my senior vice presidents, Treasurer Mike Gellman and Vice Chair Brad Adolph, for their help and support. Our team has worked well together in difficult times. I have been privileged to serve with them.
My predecessor, Chuck Kaufman, has done an excellent job leading the Nominations Committee as we prepare for our next elections and what will be a new slate of officers. We are incredibly fortunate to have one of the strongest groups of candidates in recent memory; all are committed to the success of B’nai B’rith. I am excited about the future of our organization.
I will leave you with my prayer for peace in Israel. The IDF is fighting war on several fronts. They will win these wars. There will continue to be new challenges until the Palestinians decide that they can live in peace with Israel. Zionism has never required the end of the Palestinians. Peace will only come when Palestinian liberation is not conditional upon the delegitimization of Zionism and the State of Israel. We must defeat Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran to allow a true partner for peace
to come to power in Gaza and the West Bank. When that partner comes, I believe that Israel and the Palestinians will find a way to finally live in peace and prosperity together. Let It Be So.
Todah Rabah, for the honor of being your president,
Seth J. Riklin
B’nai B’rith Meets With World Leaders on Sidelines of United Nations General Assembly
B’nai B’rith International leaders and staff members met in New York with global leaders and diplomatic officials on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) opening sessions during the week of Sept. 24. This was the first General Assembly meeting since Hamas launched its terrorist war against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
An official U.N. nongovernmental organization (NGO) since 1947, B’nai B’rith facilitates connection to the international body and personnel through its Office of U.N. Affairs in New York.
Supporting Israel and its People
B’nai B’rith CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin led volunteers and staff engaging with representatives from Belgium, Spain and Norway, consistent supporters of anti-Israel sanctions at the UNGA, the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court. Responses, he said, referenced: “…humanitarian law. They would come back about Israel has a right to defend itself, but it’s how it defends itself.”
He observed: “The most important part of this is really speaking truth to power. It’s the opportunity in one week to engage not only with Israel’s friends but also its harshest critics. And there’s no substitute for doing this in person.”
Advancing fair treatment for Israel is a vital action item for B’nai B’rith, along with the immediate release of the Oct. 7 hostages, global escalation of anti-Semitism, Iran’s nuclear weapons and terrorist acts, Holocaust restitution, and civil rights for Jews and all peoples.
The delegates also conferred with Israel’s supporters. “We expressed our appreciation to the Czechs,” Mariaschin indicated, “for their long-standing and their consistent voting patterns at the U.N.”
Throughout the year, speeches detrimental to Israel at the U.N. and its European satellite agencies are monitored by B’nai B’rith, whose representatives respond publicly. On Sept. 25, the organization shared recorded testimonies at the U.N. Human Rights Council from Israelis traumatized by displacement and the murder of loved ones. They voiced the collective grief of those who are suffering.
Evacuated Resident of Kiryat Shmona Discusses Hezbollah Attacks on Israel at UNHRC
Hostage Relative Shares the Story of Carmel Gat with UNHRC:
Albanian Prime Minister Honored
Photo: Nir Arieli
B’nai B’rith International, The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) and the Center for Jewish Impact hosted a Sept. 26 reception for Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, recognizing his nation’s steadfast defense and protection of its Jewish citizens dating to the Holocaust. Speakers included Mariaschin and Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, U.S. Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism.
The event brought together many people from Jewish organizations and the diplomatic community who honored a remarkable person and leader for his proactive support of the Jewish state.
Read more about the ceremony here.
FROM THE CEO
A Tale of Two Anthems
CEO, B’nai B’rith International
In September, I was invited to Bucharest, the capital of Romania, for an observance of the 145th anniversary of the country granting citizenship to its Jewish residents.
The invitation was extended by the leader of the Romanian Jewish community, Silviu Vexler, who also serves in the Romanian parliament.
Much was packed into the one-day commemoration, including meetings with the country’s prime minister and foreign minister, the speaker of parliament and the president of the senate.
In B’nai B’rith history, Romania looms large: The first ambassador (then referred to as Consul) from the United States to Romania, Benjamin Peixotto, was an active member of B’nai B’rith in Ohio. A founding member of the Cincinnati Lodge, Peixotto was deeply involved in Jewish life and practiced law. When Jews in Romania faced outbreaks of violent anti-Semitism, American Jewish leaders urged President Ulysses S. Grant to appoint someone to deal directly with the waves of anti-Semitism pulsating in Romanian society.
Peixotto was named consul in 1870, and his work in the country led to the establishment of the first B’nai B’rith lodge in Romania, in 1886.
On the eve of World War II, there were more than 800,000 Jews in Romania, making its community one of the world’s largest, boasting eminent doctors, rabbis, academics, scientists, businessmen and craftsmen. During the Holocaust, fully half of the community was killed. The country’s military leader, Ion Antonescu, was a Nazi ally. Romania’s paramilitary Iron Guard units committed horrific atrocities against Romanian Jews. Among the survivors was Elie Wiesel, who was 17 years old at the end of the war.
Many surviving Romanian Jews made their way to Israel, where even today they constitute one of the largest demographics in Israeli society. After the 1967 Six-Day War, all Eastern European countries severed diplomatic relations with Israel, except Romania. The country’s absolute dictator, Nicolae Ceausescu, maintained ties with both Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and allowed Jewish emigration from the country—for a price. Jewish religious life was maintained under the leadership of Rabbi Moses Rosen, the country’s longtime chief rabbi.
With the fall of communism in Eastern Europe in 1989, Romania, like its neighbors, turned to the West and its institutions, like NATO, the European Union and other multilateral fora, as it sought to build a democracy on the detritus of nearly 45 years of autocratic rule. The Jewish community re-built itself, and as part of that, a new B’nai B’rith lodge was established in Bucharest.
I was privileged to travel to the country for the first time in the early 1990s with then B’nai B’rith president Tommy Baer. At the same time, we were meeting with a succession of Romanian diplomats, discussing the best way to tell the full story of the Holocaust in the country.
In 2003, B’nai B’rith’s president was pressed to establish a commission to study, and report on, the Holocaust in Romania. I was appointed to serve as a member of a commission chaired by Wiesel, to research and write that history. Its members included eminent scholars from Romania, Israel, Germany, the United States and other countries who were steeped in knowledge of the period. The Wiesel Commission, as it became known, was the brainchild of Radu Ioanid, a Romanian scholar and high-level official at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, who today serves as Romania’s ambassador to Israel.
The Romanian commission’s report, which was handed to President Ion Iliescu by Wiesel himself, included a number of recommendations. These included the establishment of a research council on the Holocaust (named after Wiesel), a Holocaust memorial in the heart of Bucharest, and other actions that have now been implemented. Indeed, the commission’s work is recognized as among the most complete and factual reports that have been produced about the Holocaust in various countries over the past 35 years.
Before the report came out, many observers doubted Iliescu’s willingness in receiving a history of Romanian complicity and active involvement in the killing of hundreds of thousands of its Jews. There was still a sector of the Romanian political landscape that venerated the World War II regime. Still, Iliescu surprised many by doing so, and by allowing, as his successors have done, the full story to be revealed to the Romanian people in a variety of ways.
Back to the commemoration in Bucharest in September. The closing evening program was a concert by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Zubin Mehta. The concert took place in a 4,000-seat hall in the center of Bucharest. It was a sold-out event. Unlike many cities around the world which have been plagued by bullying, boisterous and often violent pro-Palestinian demonstrators, there were none seen or heard that evening in the capital.
The concert opened with the national anthems of the two countries. Hearing “Hatikvah” beautifully played by the philharmonic, given all that has happened since the horrific hours of Oct. 7, with no demonstrators unfurling banners that read “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free” and seeing thousands of Romanians standing out of respect, was a truly emotional moment, as was the playing of the Romanian anthem.
When one thinks of the rich, yet deeply tragic history of Romanian Jewry, the thought that the country has struggled to face history and made good on its promises to deal with the past is more than worth noting. Of course, there is more to be done; the process of making amends can never be finished, given the enormity of the tragedy of Romanian Jewry.
Next up is a museum of Romanian Jewish history in Bucharest, which is already in the works. The Holocaust research council, the monument and the museum should not be considered mere gestures. If the will is there, history, told openly and honestly, can go a long way to ensuring that the past is not repeated.
Amplifying Jewish Student Voices Initiative
A new B’nai B’rith program, Amplifying Jewish Student Voices, was inaugurated in September to assist Jewish students experiencing anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiments at their schools.
B’nai B’rith leaders Larry Magid, a member of the Board of Governors, and Millie Magid, chair for U.N. Affairs, hosted a launch event at their home in Aventura, Fla. Marian and Paul Kruss hosted a gathering the next morning.
Roundtable discussions allowed attendees opportunities for expressing solidarity, inspiring them to take action. International Center for Human Rights and Public Policy (ICHRPP) Deputy Director Rabbi Eric Fusfield moderated the panels, featuring Harvard Divinity School alumnus Shabbos Kestenbaum and Jamie Sharabani, former IDF soldier and University of Miami senior, who each courageously took a stand against on-campus threats and intimidation.
On Nov. 1, B’nai B’rith South Florida brought the program to students from five local high schools; they were oriented about the challenges that they will face and options for responding to anti-Semitism at the institutions they will attend. Kestenbaum was again on hand to speak and lead discussions.
B’nai B’rith International Vice Chair Brad Adolph described B’nai B’rith’s mission and focus. He noted: “It was an honor to represent B’nai B’rith International and share the stage with Shabbos Kestenbaum… To hear Shabbos share his first-hand story of rampant anti-Semitism on college campuses and his fight to hold universities accountable for this injustice was inspiring.”
Dan Tartakovski, B’nai B’rith International ambassador and Gina Strauss, B’nai B’rith International senior vice president and South Florida president, provided support and guidance throughout the day.
Students Confront Anti-Semitism on College Campuses in None Shall Be Afraid Essay Contest
It’s a scary time to be a Jew on campus. In the wake of the savage Hamas attacks against Israel last Oct. 7, 2023, anti-Israel protests over the past year have escalated into virulent anti-Semitism, including verbal threats and even instances of physical violence that have created a hostile learning environment. It’s understandable that Jewish students on campuses around the country are afraid to wear their Magen Davids or kippot.
This spring, B’nai B’rith hosted the third annual None Shall Be Afraid Essay Contest for college students. Judges reviewed over 150 essays outlining proposals universities can use to address and combat verbal threats against Israel and Jews on campus. The top three winners were awarded scholarships of $2,500, $1,000 and $500, respectively.
B’nai B’rith created the contest to keep a focus on anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism in our society. None Shall Be Afraid was inspired by the 1790 letter from George Washington to the congregants of Touro Synagogue in Rhode Island, where he quoted Micah 4:4, “Everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid.”
First-place winner Ilana Argentar, a freshman at Bradley University, shares her family’s experiences leaving Poland in pursuit of a better life in the United States. In her essay, published below, she ties similarities between the persecution her family faced in the 1930s to the discrimination against Jews today, suggesting that universities take complaints of threats against Jews seriously and address them more decisively.
Second-place winner Rachel Applebaum, a junior at the College of Wooster, writes in her essay about the importance of education and open discussion to confront naive discrimination.
In her essay, third-place winner Faith Ann Lord, a junior at the University of Toledo, emphasizes that by bringing Jewish scholars and speakers to campuses and promoting academic exploration of anti-Semitism, universities can foster a more informed and compassionate student body.
To learn more about B’nai B’rith’s None Shall Be Afraid initiative, visit our section on Combating Anti-Semitism on our website, bnaibrith.org.
Winning Essay by Ilana Argentar
Bradley University, class of 2028, Freshman
A trunk full of books, a bicycle and 30 dollars. That’s what my mom says she and her family had with them when they left Poland as refugees in 1979. My grandparents and great grandparents survived the Holocaust but life in Poland after the war was still not great for Jews. My grandmother was born in Belarus where Jewish children were spit on in the streets and Shabbat candles were lit and prayers whispered behind closed curtains. As an adult in Poland, my Bubbie became accustomed to the word “zyd” used as an insult or, as a compliment, being told that she was, you know, was not like the other Jews. She understood the power and meaning that hateful words possess.
Led by my Bubbie, my family gave up their citizenship and left Poland, with the hope that their children would be more free in the United States to live safely as proud Jews. They were right to do it. As she grew up, my mom’s Jewish identity was firmly planted and grew at preschool, summer camp, Hebrew School and through holidays and celebrations.
I asked my Bubbie her thoughts about the recent sharp rise in anti-Semitism on college campuses. Her response was that “nothing has changed.” She recalled her mother-in-law sharing the story of mandatory “Jew-free Tuesdays” on the university campus in Poland she attended in the1930s. While the Holocaust had not yet officially started, the seeds of hate had already been firmly planted in the DNA of campuses in Europe.
In November 2023, the ADL and Hillel published a poll which stated that 73% of Jewish college students experienced or saw anti-Semitic incidents since the beginning of the school year. Sadly, November 2023 feels worlds away from today, April 2024. Without looking at a new poll, I am confident that we all know that number must have risen exponentially since the fall. Even my TikTok algorithm has stepped up its game, sharing more and more videos each day featuring students rhyming those familiar chants, threatening the destruction of our people and homeland.
Unfortunately, it seems our top universities are leading the way, inspiring and allowing hate to grow, often under the guise of “free speech.” Of course, all speech is not free, and there are limits to free expression in every public environment. Schools must ensure that one person’s right to free speech does not shut down a Jewish student’s right to safety and security.
If they don’t already have one, universities must create a mechanism for students who have witnessed or encountered anti-Semitism or verbal threats against Jews or Israel to submit a complaint and then they must provide the resources necessary to follow up on those complaints. It is important that they work with university police and local law enforcement to take swift and decisive action against all verbal threats. The word must get out: You cannot make threats against Jews and Israel and get away with it.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. teaches that the Holocaust was preventable. Verbal threats are actually warning signs. By taking immediate action, universities still have the opportunity to lead the way, slow down the hate train and ultimately even save Jewish lives. Left unchecked, history has taught us that verbal threats can become actionable and then it is too late.
Remarkably my great grandmother managed to complete her master’s degree in Pedagogy in Poland in the 1930s. This was in spite of the many odds stacked against her, which included the university sanctioned “Jew-free Tuesdays.” Not long after that, most of her family was deported and murdered at Auschwitz, while she escaped and survived by hiding in the Ural Mountains.
As a teenager who has always invited friends over for Shabbat dinners, traveled to Israel and worn my Star of David necklace daily and proudly, this story can’t help but feel like a scary fairy tale from long ago. Yet, when I think about going to college next year and hear the threats against Jews and Israel that have spread throughout campuses, this unbelievable history sadly becomes a little closer and more real to me. Times are definitely scary for Jewish students on campuses. Universities must do what they failed to do for Jewish students in the past and act now to deter and shut down verbal threats before the hate becomes more institutionalized and it is too late.
Online Anti-Semitism Guidebook Includes Contributions from Latin America
As online anti-Semitism skyrocketed during the pandemic, B’nai B’rith’s Office of European Union Affairs in Brussels, together with the international think tank Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) responded to the crisis with the 2022 publication in English of “Online Anti-Semitism: A Toolkit for Civil Society.” This virtual guide was intended to provide individuals and staff from non-profits and government agencies with step-by-step methods for combating hate speech on the internet. B’nai B’rith staff who spearheaded the guide included Office of EU Affairs Director Alina Bricman, Director of United Nations and Intercommunal Affairs David Michaels and Oren Drori, program officer for U.N. Affairs.
This fall, an expanded edition of “Online Anti-Semitism” has been issued in a Spanish translation, including case studies from Latin American countries. Augmenting the publication are contributions from UNESCO and Congreso Judio Latinoamericano, an arm of the World Jewish Congress. Representing Jewish communities in 18 South American countries, the organization focuses on the study and dissemination of information on issues of vital importance to the Jewish community.
The guide continues to serve as a timely and functional resource, intended to educate users and provide a wide range of policy and community avenues for action.
“Online Anti-Semitism” provides an overview of the web’s anti-Semitism threat landscape, a summary of existing policy responses on an international and national level across a range of global contexts, and a broad set of recommendations for civil society engagement with national and local governments, and agencies.
Read about the release of the 2022 edition of “Online Anti-Semitism” here.
Read the publication here, with links to the English and Spanish versions of the Toolkit.
B’nai B’rith Hosts Father Patrick Desbois in Israel
Arriving in Israel on the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Hamas on the country’s men, women and children, activist and Holocaust researcher Father Patrick Desbois undertook an intensive examination of the ongoing war, engaging with survivors, military members and hostages’ families at medical and military facilities, government offices, kibbutzim and the Nova Music Festival site. B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem Director Alan Schneider and Director of U.N. and Intercommunal Affairs David Michaels accompanied him on the visit, which was sponsored by the World Center.
Decrying the violence against Israel, Desbois said: “Hamas, entrenched in its tunnels under schools and hospitals, has never protected Palestinian civilians, who are also perishing without even having access to underground shelters. Despite everything, I remain hopeful of a peaceful future in which all peoples can live in harmony and security.”
Recipient of B’nai B’rith’s humanitarian award, among many other accolades, Desbois, a Catholic priest, is esteemed for his investigations of World War II Eastern European killing fields. His book, “The Holocaust by Bullets: A Priest’s Journey to Uncover the Truth Behind the Murder of 1.5 Million Jews,” includes testimonies by neighbors, perpetrators and survivors. The foundation he established in 2004, Yahad – In Unum (Hebrew and Latin: United Together), documents genocidal crimes. Its work now extends to Iraq and Ukraine.
Read more about Father Desbois’ trip, and his foundation here.
Read about Father Desbois’ reaction to charges of genocide made against Israel here.
B’nai B’rith Israel Emergency Fund: Standing with Israel
B’nai B’rith Israel Emergency Fund has raised more than $277,000 since it was opened in October 2023 in direct response to the Hamas terror attacks against Israel. The funds have assisted people in Israel who are suffering and in need as a result of the ongoing war against Hamas. We continue our steadfast commitment to those Israelis who have been affected nationwide.
We extend our thanks to generous contributors whose donations have been used this year to bring relief to displaced families and individuals and to aid those at the front.
Helping Soldiers and Civilians
Endangered by terrorist attacks, families forced to relocate from their homes continued to receive food, home items, electronics and toys purchased by the fund.
Men and women engaged in fighting and protecting their fellow citizens are provided with nutritious meals and snacks in the bunkers and near the battlefields where they are stationed. For their comfort and protection, the fund has also supplied them with thermal and all-weather garments, storm suits and boots, as well as gear including reenforced helmets, kneepads and tactical gloves. In hospitals and rehab centers, soldiers recuperating from their wounds are sent small gifts to brighten their recovery.
The fund also supports mental health initiatives, including counseling for traumatized first responders and a Chabad-run facility in Bangkok serving younger people needing respite and therapeutic care.
Serving Communities in the North
Advancing rescue efforts in Northern Israel at Kiryat Shmona and Har HaMenuchot—places where Hezbollah rockets have destroyed buildings and injured and killed residents—the fund has purchased specially equipped all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) to fight fires and to recover victims in difficult to reach and remote locations. Surveillance drones donated by the fund have enhanced protection for inhabitants. These residents, including some who are elderly or disabled, receive food packages.
The fund will also assist in the construction of a protective shelter for Majdal Shams, a town located in the Golan Heights, near Mount Hermon.
ON SENIORS
Technology: A Love-Hate Relationship
By Mark D. Olshan
Associate Executive Vice President, B’nai B’rith International
I have a colleague at work who is always talking to me about blogs, Outlook calendar invites and “the cloud.” With a smile on my face, I tell him the Internet is just a “fad,” and eventually it will go away. I see no reason why my hard copy daily calendar with yellow sticky notes can’t suffice. Who doesn’t use a pencil to write in their calendar?
Of course, these comments are made tongue in cheek by a man in his late 70s, who still fondly remembers using an IBM Selectric typewriter with five carbon sets.
Often, it feels like the pandemic changed everything. Especially for seniors like me, who are hesitant with new technology. For example, instead of video calls being a “nicety,” the technology has become a “must.” Walking into someone’s office to discuss things and engaging in unscheduled collaboration is no longer possible. Everyone has had to learn “video” calling. While it seems like second nature now, in the spring of 2020, I was still learning how to use all the online buttons and “log in.”
Of course, in 2024, you would have to live under a rock not to appreciate how technology has made our personal and professional lives easier, if not actually better. I can Zoom with colleagues around the world with ease. Plus, my wife and I can FaceTime with our granddaughter in college. And, while it’s always nice speaking with her on the phone, every grandparent prefers seeing a grandchild over video!
So, if you ask me, technology really has made life better.
However, it’s not all rainbows and butterflies! It can be difficult for seniors to keep up with technology that is constantly being updated. I suspect this causes frustration among many older Americans, as it does for me. Once you have mastered an app, it feels like you go back to square one when the update comes out.
Additionally, there have been many everyday “things” that have moved to the Internet, which can be exasperating for seniors. Recently, I was at the pharmacy and, despite being a customer for 20 years, I had to jump through 10 hoops to order my prescription through the in-store app.
During the pandemic, and understandably so, restaurants moved menus exclusively online. Fortunately, with the pandemic long over, establishments have brought back actual menus. For the restaurants that have not, what are older persons supposed to do if they don’t have a smart phone? Or people like me who like to hold the menu in their hand and actually read it?
To say the experiences have been aggravating would be an understatement. And I can’t imagine I’m the only one who feels this way.
B’nai B’rith bridging the technology gap
At the B’nai B’rith Center for Senior Services (CSS), we understand that many older adults are challenged by new technology. To bridge the gap, we have offered a variety of programs at our 35 Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-sponsored senior housing properties around the country. We have created “Tech Tutor,” a downloadable workbook to get residents familiar with using applications and maintaining internet safety and using online banking and credit cards to catch fraud instantly, instead of waiting for the monthly mailed statements.
Additionally, we have joined with Bank of the West to provide grants for our sponsored buildings to offer programing for frauds and scams, including those found online, for residents, as well as training for staff at our annual Managers and Service Coordinators Meetings.
We have worked with the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to train staff to create programming in the buildings around financial literacy and the internet. Furthermore, CFPB requested that CSS provide feedback to develop additional financial literacy and scam/fraud resources and programming for older adults. My colleague, Janel Doughten, associate director, Center of Senior Services, participated in a CFPB Faith-Based Elder Justice webinar series in January to talk about what we are doing with our housing network to combat scams/fraud in our buildings.
All this work is important, as more older Americans seek to become tech savvy. A few of our sponsored buildings have been able to get building-wide Wi-Fi, enabling residents to better connect their phones, tablets, computers and televisions to the internet at no personal cost. Residents who are connected can talk with family and friends more easily, and thus battle social isolation, see their doctors and pay bills online.
Other organizations are also trying to make older adults more comfortable with technology. Older Adults Technology Services (OATS), sponsored by AARP, offers programs to make seniors more comfortable. OATS’ goal, according to its website, is to “harness the power of technology to change the way we age.” It trains older adults to use technology. Through its flagship program, Senior Planet from AARP, and with in-person and online options, OATS has reported it has been able to make seniors more confident and connected to the world.
It seems quite clear, technology, when used properly, has made life more convenient. It would just be nice if that technology didn’t change every 38 seconds and wasn’t also misused for fraud. With all the changes and scams, sometimes, I just want to throw my computer and cell phone out the window and break out my old IBM Selectric. However, if I did that, I wouldn’t be able to FaceTime with my granddaughter, and like every other grandparent, I know I’m not giving that up!
To be better connected to those we love, technology is helpful. It would just be nice if the people designing the technology would keep older adults like me in mind.
Mark D. Olshan, who holds a doctorate in psychology, is associate executive vice president of B’nai B’rith International and director of the organization’s Center for Senior Services.
B’nai B’rith Connect Engages Young Leaders Through Diplomatic Encounters and Community Service
B’nai B’rith Connect, B’nai B’rith’s young professionals network held several activities to engage young leaders with the broader Jewish community this fall. A group of Connect leaders teamed up with AEPi fraternity and Sharsheret, a philanthropy dedicated to Jewish breast cancer patients, to assemble 100 care kits to help women and men battling cancer at B’nai B’rith offices in New York City. Participants heard from a cancer survivor who shared her gratitude for the care package she received during her time of need while undergoing treatment.
B’nai B’rith Connect also hosted a Diplomatic Encounters event on Nov. 1 featuring Anton Klix, consul for Political Affairs at the German Consulate. Connect leaders toured the United Nations and later joined Klix for a Shabbat dinner at B’nai B’rith’s New York offices. Attendees heard from Klix about life in Germany, the German government’s efforts to combat anti-Semitism, and the relationships between Germany, the United States, Israel and B’nai B’rith International.
Special Exhibit Offers Terrifying Glimpse of Hostages’ World
Watch B’nai B’rith CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin speak about the intensity of the exhibit.
An encore presentation of “Inside Hamas Tunnels: 3-Minutes Insight into Hostages’ Reality,” the traveling exhibit sponsored by B’nai B’rith in partnership with the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, drew visitors in Washington, D.C. in November.
Incorporating audio and video recorded by Hamas terrorists, the immersive installation simulates the horrific environment and conveys the inhumane treatment of victims imprisoned since Oct. 7, 2023. Conceived by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum with input from the released hostages, the exhibit is transported and staged in a corrugated shipping container, whose dark and claustrophobic interior evokes the atmosphere of the tunnels.
The installation was previously seen in a number of European cities, Washington, D.C. and Boston. Coverage in the Fall 2024 issue of IMPACT can be seen HERE.
B’nai B’rith Remembers October 7: A Day of Terror. A Testament to Strength
In observance of the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel, B’nai B’rith leaders, staff and supporters came together for an online event including prayers for Israel and featuring guest Nikita Somorov, a survivor of the assault on Kibbutz Nahal Oz.
Somorov, his wife and child hid for nine hours in the safe room at their Nahal Oz residence. Many of their neighbors were murdered.
His testimony can be heard here:
B’nai B’rith Assists Hurricane Victims
When the southern states were bashed by deadly weather events in September and October, B’nai B’rith opened its Hurricanes Helene and Milton Disaster and Emergency Relief Fund.
Wrecking untold devastation, these ferocious storms have killed nearly 300 individuals.
B’nai B’rith International’s longstanding legacy of reaching out to communities in distress began in 1865, when the organization raised money to alleviate the suffering of those affected by a cholera epidemic in pre-state Israel. Since then, B’nai B’rith has responded in the wake of natural and man-made disasters worldwide.
Contributions can be made to the Disaster and Emergency Relief Fund here or by calling 800-573-9057 and using a credit card.
Checks payable to B’nai B’rith Disaster and Emergency Relief Fund can be mailed to:
B’nai B’rith International Disaster and Emergency Relief Fund
1120 20th Street NW, Suite 300N
Washington, D.C. 20036
Connect Delegates Engage in Foreign Affairs During Kakehashi Trip
Leaders from B’nai B’rith Connect—B’nai B’rith’s young professional network— represented the Jewish American community on the Kakehashi project mission to Japan Nov.5-Nov.12.
During the weeklong trip, delegates were able to deepen their understanding of foreign affairs as they engaged in meaningful discussions on key issues impacting the United States, Israel and Japan. This annual trip organized by the Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) helps strengthen ties between the Japanese people and Jewish Americans.
Delegates began the trip meeting with diplomats at embassies across Tokyo, where they discussed foreign policy issues in relation to Israel and the broader Jewish community. The group met with U.S. Ambassador Rahm Emanuel at the Embassy of the United States in Tokyo and with Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Hosaka Yasushi at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where they discussed foreign policy, the U.S.-Japan alliance, defense strategies and Japan’s support for Israeli and Jewish communities during the Israel-Hamas conflict. Kakehashi Delegate Dan Alpert noted the positive relationship between the United States and Japan that was evident during these meetings:
“The United States and Japan have a strong partnership, one that is mutually beneficial to both of our countries and societies…During these visits, a critical message of people-to-people relationships was shared as the key way to enhance global ties.”
At the Embassy of Israel, Deputy Chief of Mission Asaf Segev briefed delegates on the Middle East situation, Israel’s defense against terrorism, Hezbollah threats and U.S. support amid the war. Delegates spoke with Segev about the importance of fostering a strong Jewish community post-Oct. 7 and highlighted the unique value of living in a predominantly Jewish society like Israel, where kashrut laws are widely observed and people primarily follow the same observances.
There were numerous opportunities to engage with locals, particularly in Kobe, where delegates spent the bulk of the trip. They celebrated Shabbat at the Jewish Community Center of Kansai with dinner and services, joining many other foreign Jews visiting Japan and receiving a warm welcome.
Delegates had the unique opportunity to spend a day with local families in Kobe, fostering meaningful connections while gaining insights into the daily life, traditions and culture of the community. Alpert, who spent the day exploring the city with his host family, described the experience as the “most memorable aspect of the trip,” writing afterward:
“We spent time talking over a delicious home-cooked meal and shared our love for running and baseball. Even with a language barrier, we were able to deepen our connection through shared interests, food and a visit to a beautiful garden and the Hanshin Tigers baseball stadium!”
Reflecting on the devastating impact of the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, delegates toured both the memorial museum and reconstruction monument dedicated to educating the public. Delegate Gabby Glubochansky shared her thoughts following the visit:
“The experience was incredibly moving and humbling, serving as a stark reminder of the immense power of nature. There was so much to take away from the visit, but what stood out most to me was the strength and resilience of the people of Japan. Despite the overwhelming loss and suffering, the community came together to rebuild, with a clear focus on themes of friendship and unity throughout the exhibits.”
Part of the immersive experience included a yuzen-zome dyeing workshop, a traditional Japanese technique used to create intricate patterns on fabric. In Kyoto, they visited the Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion) and Yasaka Shrine, where the group engaged deeply with Japan’s rich cultural heritage and spiritual landmarks.
Delegates left Japan with a deeper appreciation for the connections between Japan, the U.S., Israel and the global Jewish community.
Online Israel-Hellenic Forum Builds Relations Among Israel, Greece and Cyprus
B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem coordinated a virtual session for the 45 members of the Israel-Hellenic Forum, established in 2019 to further relations among Israel, Greece and Cyprus, democracies in geographic proximity, united by common values of mutual respect and economic development. The Oct. 29 event replaced the forum’s planned Jerusalem in person conference, postponed due to the ongoing crisis in Israel.
The forum’s subject matter is formulated with input from more than 100 senior foreign policy analysts, journalists, politicians, diplomats and public intellectuals advancing the strengthening of ties through new breakthroughs in fields from medicine to security.
Alan Schneider, World Center-Jerusalem director, remarked: “Israel-Hellenic Forum members share similar goals and values. Strengthening ties between the peoples of Greece, Cyprus and Israel, they are dedicated to furthering peaceful cooperation in our volatile and violent regions, promoting mutual respect and the development of our economies.”
Opening remarks were delivered by B’nai B’rith CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin and Dr. George Tzogopoulos, senior fellow at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy. Discussions focused on repercussions of Hamas’ ongoing war with Israel, including economic and security issues for the region.
In addition to offering in-depth analysis, the forum raised practical avenues for action, particularly in regard to promoting the U.S. administration’s plan to build a land and shipping corridor linking India to Europe through Israel.
The forum had its genesis in 2014, when B’nai B’rith, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA) and the American Hellenic Institute (AHI) hosted a groundbreaking mission to Israel, Cyprus and Greece for participants from all three non-profits, which advanced the countries’ trilateral goals. The resulting Israel-Hellenic Forum has held three previous in-person sessions, in Jerusalem (2019), Athens, Greece (2022) and Nicosia, Cyprus (2023). A virtual meeting occurred during the pandemic in June 2021.
The forum has become a catalyst for the development of collaborative academic programs conducted in all three countries.
Conference on Anti-Semitism Held in Costa Rica in November
A three-day conference focusing on anti-Semitism in Costa Rica, jointly sponsored and organized by CAM (Combat Anti-Semitism Movement) and B’nai B’rith, included the participation of Latin American political leaders, clergy, journalists and prominent members of the Jewish community.
Keynote addresses at the Forum on Anti-Semitism in Latin America were delivered by Israeli Ambassador to Costa Rica Michal Gur-Aryeh and Spanish writer, award-winning human rights advocate Pilar Rahola.
Speeches and roundtables charted the escalation of this global scourge, specifically focusing on the impact of social media on anti-Semitism across Latin America, international strategies for mitigating the crisis, governmental efforts to prevent hate speech and education as a weapon against prejudice. B’nai B’rith Director of Latin American Affairs Eduardo Kohn moderated a panel about the traumatic repercussions of the current situation, including a Holocaust survivor, a victim of the 1994 AMIA Jewish center building bombing in Buenos Aires, a young Jewish leader and an evangelical minister.
Kohn also chaired the final discussion with Latin American officials, who delineated their country’s efforts to fight anti-Semitism through proposed legislation. Each pledged their commitment to Israel’s defense and to fighting hate. Kohn emphasized the U.N.’s failure to promote peace and democracy, and the agency’s fueling of anti-Semitism through resolutions backed by repressive dictatorships. He called on legislative bodies to defend democracy against authoritarian influence.
Krakow Ceremony Honors Second Annual B’nai B’rith Gratitude Awardees
B’nai B’rith Polin Lodge President Andrzej Friedman appears third from the right.
Jewish history scholar Łukasz Tomasz Sroka and the Brama Cukermana (the Polish name for the Cukerman’s Gate Foundation), supporting multicultural education and Polish Jewish monuments and museums, received B’nai B’rith’s second annual Wdzięczność-Gratitude-הכרת הטוב (named in English, Polish and Hebrew) Award in the individual and organizational categories. The Sept. 25 ceremony was a highlight of the academic conference “Jews in Krakow: History and Culture,” held in the Polish city.
The award celebrates Polish non-Jewish individuals and organizations whose achievements advance the preservation of Poland’s Jewish heritage and acknowledge the significance of its impact on their national history.
B’nai B’rith award committee members were present. Accepting the award, Sroka noted: “I feel that it is not the Jewish organizations and people who should express their gratitude [to me]—but it should be us, our society, who owe a lot to the Jews.”
History Discipline Council chair at the Pedagogical University of Krakow, Sroka formerly taught at the University of Applied Sciences in Tarnow. He is a curator of Jewish exhibits who also writes on subjects including Jewish life in Poland and Austria and modern Israel’s relations with Poland.
The Brama Cukermana Foundation, initiated by Karolina and Piotr Jakoweńko, funded the 2009 restoration of the synagogue located in Cukerman’s Gate, a street in Bedzin, Poland—a city where the Jewish community flourished before 1939. Among other activities, the foundation has implemented a middle and secondary school curriculum emphasizing Bedzin’s Jewish legacy and the value of cultural diversity.
B’nai B’rith Uruguay Helps Local Children Through its School Outreach Program
B’nai B’rith Uruguay volunteers joined forces with students, teachers and parents of rural school 33 in Paso del Cuello, Sauce, in October, to improve the school grounds. Together, they restored and enhanced existing athletic fields, and built new ones equipped for playing soccer and volleyball. The day provided an opportunity for everyone involved to socialize, watch and participate in team sports, and share meals.
A number of lodges in Uruguay have maintained a relationship with rural school 33, as well as several other educational institutions, for decades as part of B’nai B’rith’s educational outreach.
Over two years, B’nai B’rith constructed a large building equipped with multiple classrooms that replaced the cramped and deteriorated one-room facility then in use. Since that time, the organization has further enlarged the campus and has provided computers, video equipment and microscopes. B’nai B’rith has also made possible the hiring of additional faculty.
Sauce is a small town located on the outskirts of Montevideo. Children attending the school, now considered one of the best and most modern in the area, range from 5 to 13 years old.
FROM THE VAULT
B’nai B’rith Leader and Philanthropist Benjamin Altheimer, Father of Flag Day
In 1868, 18-year-old Benjamin Altheimer arrived from Germany to settle in the United States. Living in St. Louis, he achieved success as a banker and stockbroker, and then made other investments.
From that time, Altheimer was known as a committed, lifelong B’nai B’rith leader, heading many committees and serving on the Cleveland Jewish Orphan Asylum (Bellefaire) and Denver National Jewish Hospital boards.
Using his fortune, he established and endowed B’nai B’rith facilities, emergency relief causes, and non-sectarian libraries, hospitals and other facilities in Missouri and beyond. Loving America like many transplanted German Jews, Altheimer described it as a place “where man stands for what he is…and where the practice of religion according to one’s conscience is a virtue.”
Observing the ritual that accompanied the flag lowering at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, in 1910, Altheimer helped to establish Flag Day, June 14, marking the date in 1777 when the Continental Congress adopted the American flag. Displaying the stars and stripes, a practice which caught on elsewhere, he sponsored essay contests on the flag’s significance for school children. Six years later, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Flag Day an official holiday.
Altheimer retired to New York City, where he remained active in philanthropy.
Photo: Prints and Drawings Collection, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Tributes marked Altheimer’s 80th birthday in 1930. Time magazine profiled “the charitarian,” noting that: “[to] …a St. Louis Christian preacher who was annoyed that a foreign-born Jew had first thought of so honoring the U.S. flag, [Altheimer] countered: ‘I told that preacher that it wasn’t the first time a Jew had given a Christian an idea or something to think about.’”
Another reporter who interviewed Altheimer at Fifth Avenue’s exclusively Jewish Harmonie Club, where he was a member wrote about his inclination to “talk a great deal…” in German-inflected English. He concluded: “He likes slogans and mottos of an inspirational nature. He has spoken at hundreds of banquets on patriotic themes. His has been a full life and a worthy one.”
Altheimer died in April 1938. That June, B’nai B’rith sponsored Philadelphia’s annual Flag Day Parade, when The Philadelphia Inquirer observed: “Every racial and religious group in Philadelphia was represented, and all were united under a flag which has made them Americans, whatever they might have been before.”
European Affairs Director Alina Bricman Addresses Terror and Global Anti-Semitism at Programs in Hungary and Belgium
Alina Bricman, B’nai B’rith director of European Affairs, shared her expertise with audiences in Hungary and Belgium on a variety of issues relating to repercussions from the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack against Israel, and the subsequent rising anti-Semitism witnessed on a global basis.
In September, Bricman delivered remarks in Budapest at the sixth meeting of the European Working Group on Anti-Semitism regarding B’nai B’rith’s initiative that provides organizations and individuals with information on legal methods to successfully mitigate the activities of hate groups.
She returned to Brussels to address educators at an Oct. 7 meeting of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Her talk focused on the sexual crimes committed against women in Israel by Hamas, atrocities compounded by their denial by the media and even some women’s groups.
Bricman also participated in a World Jewish Congress panel, when she offered her views on combating anti-Semitism and safeguarding Jewish life in cooperation with the EU.
Bricman leads IMPACT: Emerging Leaders Fellowship, currently in its fourth annual session. The three-month leadership program, developed in partnership with the World Union of Jewish Students, sponsors 30 young Jewish men and women from across the globe, who convene virtually for weekly interactive sessions with guest speakers, and to support those members who experience anti-Semitism at their academic institutions.
Holiday Festivities Hosted by Isadore Garsek Lodge
Fort Worth’s Isadore Garsek Lodge members and volunteers sponsored and served a pre-Thanksgiving luncheon to 40 members of the Jewish Family Services Senior Program on Nov. 18. The lodge provides holiday meals for seniors annually.
Hedy Collins, Jewish Family Services Senior Program director, noted: “Lunch was really great. The room looked lovely, and the food was very good. We can’t thank B’nai B’rith and Garsek Lodge enough for sponsoring our event.”
B’nai B’rith History Becomes Personal During Storytelling Festival
radio in January 2025.
B’nai B’rith International took center stage in Israel on Oct. 20 during the Israel International Storytellers Festival, to be broadcast on radio and television early next year. Now an Israeli institution, the festival has occurred annually for the past 21 years during Sukkot.
Deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, the event’s focus—the telling of stories—brings together schmoozing participants of all ages, relaying anecdotes and memories that bring history to life. The festival’s founder and host, well-known writer and performer Yossi Alfi, interviewed a panel of B’nai B’rith leaders including CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin, in front of a live audience.
The evening was organized by B’nai B’rith member Ilan Shchori, a Tel Aviv-based tour guide and author, who is an expert on the history of the lodges in Israel.
Daniel S. Mariaschin Participates in Romanian Commemoration
Daniel S. Mariaschin Honored by Romanian Government
B’nai B’rith CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin received the National Order “For Merit” from Romanian Ambassador Andrei Muraru in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 3 in recognition of his longstanding commitment to combating anti-Semitism, and of his role in strengthening Romania’s ties with the U.S. and with Israel.
Mariaschin said: “I’m deeply grateful for receiving this honor. A special thank you goes to Ambassador Muraru and his staff for their friendship, their accessibility, and their cooperation in working to build and strengthen Romanian-Jewish relations. And congratulations to my two longtime partners in this work, Rabbi Andrew Baker and Mark Levin.”
The prestigious decree was signed by Romania’s President Klaus Werner Iohannis.
2024 European Days of Jewish Culture Festival Celebrates “Family”
Launched in September in Erfurt, Germany, a town whose medieval Jewish architecture is included on the list of World Heritage sites selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the 2024 European Days of Jewish Culture was larger than ever, involving multiple countries and communities during its three-month run.
Organized under the auspices of the AEPJ (European Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage), a consortium of organizations promoting European Jewish heritage sites, this year’s “Family” theme featured virtual and onsite performances, lectures and exhibits including an online installation of Jewish artifacts and documents, curated by the National Library of Israel.
Participation by B’nai B’rith, a founding AEPJ member, included Hilleel Lodge’s tours of Jewish Amsterdam and a talk on the Rothschild family, hosted by London’s Yad B’Yad Lodge. B’nai B’rith U.K. produced its annual guide to the Days of Jewish Culture in Britain.
Cultural Historian Claude Block Honored
Claude Bloch, cultural historian and AEPJ founder (center), received the medal of the French Ministry of Tourism in March from Frédéric Bierry, president of the European Community of Alsace (right) and Nathalie Kaltenbach, president of Alsace Destination Tourisme (left), recognizing her Jewish heritage work in her native Alsace and throughout Europe. Bloch’s late husband was a prominent leader of B’nai B’rith Europe.
Learn about the European Days of Jewish Culture, and the themes it has explored since its inception in 2004, here.
Kristallnacht Remembered by Citizens of All Faiths in Latin America
attendance at the event.
“Never Again is Now.”
Acknowledging the events of Kristallnacht (now also known as the Night of Broken Glass or the November Pogroms), many Jewish communities come together to host commemorative ceremonies, which often involve the participation of civic and national leaders.
Drawing large audiences, interfaith ceremonies in Buenos Aires and at the Caracas, Venezuela, B’nai B’rith headquarters in early November included remarks delivered by government officials and diplomats. President of B’nai B’rith Argentina Susana Chalon helped lead the commemoration program in Buenos Aires. President of B’nai B’rith Venezuela Carla Belozercovsky took part in the Caracas commemoration. Kristallnacht memorials were also held in Montevideo, Uruguay, under B’nai B’rith sponsorship, and at the Holocaust Memorial in São Paulo, Brazil. In San José, Costa Rica, the event included the participation of Jospeh Gabriel, president of B’nai B’rith Costa Rica and B’nai B’rith Director of Latin American Affairs Eduardo Kohn.
Kristallnacht was carefully orchestrated by the Nazis to emulate a spontaneous eruption of anti-Semitic violence throughout Germany and Austria during the nights of Nov. 9 and 10, 1938, resulting in the destruction of synagogues and other Jewish buildings, the burning of secular and sacred texts, the pillaging of residences and Jewish-owned stores and the deaths of approximately 100 people. Although Hitler’s persecution of the Jews had been ongoing since 1933, many consider Kristallnacht to have signaled the beginning of the Holocaust.
Standing Together for Jewish Unity—Rally in Washington, D.C.
B’nai B’rith staff, leaders and supporters participated in “Stand Together – An Event of Unity, Strength and Resilience,” organized by the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, at Washington, D.C.’s Nationals Park on Nov. 10.
Speakers addressed the fight against anti-Semitism, the defense of Israel, an acknowledgement of troops fighting for the Jewish state’s survival and a demand for the immediate release of all hostages abducted during the Hamas terrorist attacks which occurred on Oct. 7, 2023. Expressions of thanks were offered to the American government, its military and the friendship of people of the United States who have stood with Israel during the past year.
B’nai B’rith Rallies for Hostages
On Sept. 21, B’nai B’rith partnered with the Hostages and Missing Families Forum to organize a rally near the United Nations, calling for the release of the men, woman and children abducted by Hamas on Oct. 7. Members of local and national Jewish and non-Jewish groups made their voices heard, along with elected leaders and other officials. Those in attendance urged for the immediate release of all surviving hostages.
Conversations with B’nai B’rith Podcast
In less time than your lunchbreak, our podcast, Conversations with B’nai B’rith, will unveil the stories of Jewish participation in all areas of life in America, Israel and throughout the world. Our podcast features insightful conversations on Jewish culture, history, current events and more.
Conversations with B’nai B’rith is your home for quick and in-depth interviews on topics that you want to learn more about.
Hosted by CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin, the podcast, part of our focus on Jewish identity and culture, includes discussions with a wide range of prominent and fascinating individuals.
Tune in to explore the richness of Jewish life and heritage and stay updated on critical issues impacting the Jewish community worldwide.
Here’s our guide to some of the recent unique discussions you may have missed:
- What to Expect at the 79th U.N. General Assembly
- Filmmaker Rick Minnich Discusses His New Documentary “The Presidents’ Tailor
Visit all of our video content here
And don’t forget our Lens on Latin America Podcast!
Here’s one episode you won’t want to miss:
You can find the full playlist for Lens on Latin America here.
Backstory:
B’nai B’rith’s Orphanage in Erie, Pa.
Photo: B’nai B’rith Archives, Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio
Founded by lawyer Isador Sobel and sponsored by his local lodge in 1912, the B’nai B’rith Home for Children in Erie, Pa., welcomed orphaned and abandoned Jewish youth from Pennsylvania, Delaware, West Virginia and New Jersey. Due to poor medical care and the lack of social welfare, parents often died from illness or had to leave their children in the care of others.
The home soon relocated from a house to its own campus, where about 60 boys and girls lived in dormitories and attended a nearby public school. All were taught to play piano or a stringed instrument. According to the Fairview, Pa., Historical Society, Superintendent Garson Falls and his wife, Bess, a nurse and counselor, ran the home from 1924 and treated the children as a family, and not inmates of an institution.
Residents lived at the home until they turned 16; some were permitted to stay another two years to complete their education.
During World War II, Jewish children arriving from Europe stayed at the home, where they enjoyed recreational activities that helped them recover from the trauma of persecution. As the orphan population dwindled and adoption became more prevalent, the home closed in 1949.