Humanitarian Aid
Nearly 170 years ago, a dozen German-Jewish immigrants gathered on New York's Lower East Side to confront what they called "the deplorable condition of Jews in this, our newly adopted country."
The B'nai B'rith commitment to aid humankind grew out of its founders’ decision to create an insurance policy to award members' widows $30 toward funeral expenses, a stipend of one dollar a week for the rest of their lives, a stipend for each child, and the assurance a male child would be taught a trade.
Victims of a Baltimore flood in the mid-1800s were the first recipients of B’nai B’rith disaster relief funds, and the first international assistance project provided funds to Moses Montefiore in 1865 to assist victims of a cholera epidemic in what was then Palestine. B'rith later raised and distributed funds to those affected by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the Galveston, Texas, flood of 1900, and the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.
Since those beginnings, when natural and manmade disasters strike in the United States or around the globe—or when communities are in need—B'nai B'rith helps from the outset and remains to rebuild to the end.
The B'nai B'rith commitment to aid humankind grew out of its founders’ decision to create an insurance policy to award members' widows $30 toward funeral expenses, a stipend of one dollar a week for the rest of their lives, a stipend for each child, and the assurance a male child would be taught a trade.
Victims of a Baltimore flood in the mid-1800s were the first recipients of B’nai B’rith disaster relief funds, and the first international assistance project provided funds to Moses Montefiore in 1865 to assist victims of a cholera epidemic in what was then Palestine. B'rith later raised and distributed funds to those affected by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, the Galveston, Texas, flood of 1900, and the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906.
Since those beginnings, when natural and manmade disasters strike in the United States or around the globe—or when communities are in need—B'nai B'rith helps from the outset and remains to rebuild to the end.
Ongoing ProgramsOne of the most compelling attributes of the B’nai B’rith approach to disaster relief is that we often provide both immediate, short-term and long-term relief, long after other first responders have left a disaster site. Here are some of our ongoing projects.
Helping Haiti Mobilizing Aid to Japan Recent ActivityB'nai B'rith International continues to launch aid efforts around the globe.
One of B'nai B'rith's most important strategic partnerships is with the Israel Forum for International Humanitarian Aid (IsraAID). IsraAID builds on a long tradition of international assistance initiated by the State of Israel almost since its founding. For more information about B'nai B'rith's work with IsraAID, e-mail worldcenter@bnaibrith.org Delivering Aid in Africa Aiding Latin American Communities Responding to Crisis in Asia Assisting Natural Disaster Victims in the U.S.B'nai B'rith has provided disaster relief for victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, Hurricane Irene in 2011, tornadoes and flooding in 2011 among other situations, Superstorm Sandy in 2012, and will continue to help wherever there is a need.
Learn more Israel Emergency FundThis fund has helped Israeli victims in the 2006 Hezbollah bombings; has provided books for Israeli soldiers; went toward helping northern Israel recover from the 2010 Mt. Carmel wildfires; and is open and available for any other community needs or disaster relief that may arise in Israel.
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Communities in CrisisB'nai B'rith International also works closely with the Brothers Brother Foundation, located in Pittsburgh, to provide medical relief to those in need because of disaster or economic crisis.
Since 2002, B’nai B’rith in partnership with Brothers Brother, has brought more than $100 million worth of medicines and supplies to needy communities in Latin America through the Communities in Crisis program. Learn more Contact UsFor more information, please call 212-490-3290 or email cca@bnaibrith.org.
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