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Jewish Exponent: A Jewish Basketball League Of Their Own

11/24/2014

via Jewish Exponent, Photo by Amishai Gottlieb

B'nai B'rith was founded on principles of inclusion, providing all manner of community identity and fellowship opportunities over the years. One such opportunity can be found in Philadelphia, with the B’nai B’rith Basketball League.

Playing games every Sunday morning, the inter-generational, co-ed league provides a chance for athletes of any religious background to play a game of hoops. The fees required to participate go back to fund local charitable work by B'nai B'rith, including Project H.O.P.E. around the holidays.

Read more about the league, courtesy of the Jewish Exponent. Find highlights from the story, below:

Three generations of one family are busy working a B’nai B’rith Basketball League game at the Abington Friends School gym on a recent Sunday.

[...]

“Every Sunday, I pick up my father, I pick up his bagel and his coffee, and he watches the game for four-and-a-half hours with me,” says Felt, who lives in Dresher and works in insurance and financial planning. “My nephew happens to be on my team by luck.”

Felt started the league at age 23 with Bruce Lefkoe when some of the guys from their B’nai B’rith softball team expressed interest in playing basketball.

Hal Bailer came in to help get things running during the league’s first 25 years, and what started as an afterthought morphed into a successful adult league that has managed to keep a high level of enrollment over more than three decades. They currently have eight teams playing in their Sunday league, run by Felt, and six teams apiece in their evening and summer leagues, which are run by Joshua Waters.

Participants pay anywhere from $350 to $450 each year to play, $150 of which goes toward lodge dues to the local B’nai B’rith chapter — even though most of them aren’t otherwise involved with the organization and a few aren’t even Jewish.

The lodge, one of few remaining local chapters of what was once a dominant Jewish fraternal organization in America, has about 180 members and currently runs its main endeavor, Project Hope, a mitzvah project that helps feed those in need, according to Felt. The rest of the fee covers expenses for renting the high school court and hiring professional referees.

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Video: Kristallnacht Commemoration Ceremony In Uruguay (Spanish)

11/21/2014

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B'nai B'rith International joined forces with B'nai B'rith Uruguay to host an interfaith Kristallnacht (Night of Broken Glass) Commemoration Ceremony in Montevideo.

Speakers included the Archbishop of Montevideo, Monseñor Daniel Sturla; B'nai B'rith Uruguay President Morris Segal and B'nai B'rith International Director of Latin American Affairs Eduardo Kohn.

Asuntos Públicos published a full video recording of the ceremony. Watch below (Spanish):

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B'nai B'rith Statement To OSCE On Combating Anti-Semitism Today

11/20/2014

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Eric Fusfield, deputy director of the B’nai B’rith International Center for Human Rights and Public Policy, spoke at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Berlin conference last week.

The conference evaluated the ongoing struggle against anti-Semitism in Europe and the former Soviet Union.

Read his remarks below:

"Madam Chairwoman, distinguished delegates:

"2014 is a year marked by one important anniversary and many horrifying reminders.

"As we honor the 10th anniversary of the OSCE Berlin conference and the historic declaration that emerged from that gathering, evidence abounds that much work remains to be done. The conflict in Gaza this year has given rise to a wave of anti-Israel demonstrations throughout the OSCE region; these gatherings have typically featured blatantly anti-Semitic themes and have often turned violent. Attacks on Jewish individuals and institutions have increased in frequency and intensity, as the landscape from Belgium to Bulgaria, Germany to Greece, Holland to Hungary, and Ireland to Italy has witnessed violence against Jewish targets. This spread of hatred has been accompanied by a corrosion of the public discourse with respect to Jews and Israel and has left European Jewry fearful for their safety and security.

"The rise of anti-Jewish hatred has also resulted in a proliferation of anti-Semitic propaganda, much of which is directed against the State of Israel. Tragically, the demonization and delegitimization of the Jewish state has become a daily occurrence, as Israel’s enemies repeatedly accuse it of being a Nazi-like occupier and an apartheid state that disenfranchises the Palestinians. Falsehoods about Israel are repeated so often that they become widely accepted in the popular culture and sometimes impact government policy. The effort by Israel’s relentless critics to denigrate the Jewish state is not only evidence that anti-Semitism is alive and well nearly 70 years after the Holocaust – this new variation of the world’s oldest social illness actually poses a security threat to the Jewish state by intensifying its international isolation.

"For more than a decade, the OSCE has taken up the urgent struggle against rising anti-Semitism. High-level conferences in Vienna in 2003 and Berlin in 2004, as well as later conferences, have focused a needed spotlight on this and other forms of intolerance.

"The historic 2004 Berlin Declaration, which provided a series of important recommendations for governments to follow in combating anti-Semitism, specifically addressed the growing problem of anti-Semitic attacks being committed by opponents of Israel’s policies. The passage stating that “international developments or political issues, including those in Israel or elsewhere in the Middle East, never justify anti-Semitism” stands as an important rebuff to those who try to justify hate crimes with politics.

"Permanent Council Decision No. 607, which preceded the Berlin Conference, and Ministerial Decisions Nos. 12-04 and 10-05, which followed it, represent vital affirmations of the OSCE’s commitment to fight anti-Semitism and related forms of racism and xenophobia. That pact has been bolstered by the creation of ODIHR’s indispensable tolerance and non-discrimination unit, which carries out this important work each day and which includes an expert advisor on anti-Semitism, and by the appointment of the Chairman-in-Office’s three personal representatives on combating intolerance.

While much has been done to fight anti-Semitism in the past decade, much work remains. The need for practical and effective strategies to combat and defeat this pathology is still crucial. To this end,
We must continue to affirm commitments made at the landmark 2004 conference and assess the implementation of those commitments.
We should widely promote, within the OSCE, the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency’s comprehensive working definition of anti-Semitism.
We must enhance funding for ODIHR’s Tolerance and Non-Discrimination unit, which has now become a fixed and integral part of the OSCE’s work. We must enable the TND unit to sustain and expand its critical activities, which include educational programs on anti-Semitism in more than a dozen countries.
We must extend, for the foreseeable future, the terms of the three personal representatives on intolerance.
Member-states must fulfill their reporting requirements with respect to hate crimes data. Far too few governments have done so until now.
Finally, we must strongly reinforce the crucial principle declared at the 2004 Berlin Conference – That no political position, cause or grievance can ever justify anti-Semitism – and make clear that the demonization and delegitimization of the Jewish state is often none other than a pretext for the hatred of Jews themselves."

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JBS: B'nai B'rith Outraged By Deadly Synagogue Attack In Israel

11/19/2014

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B'nai B'rith International was featured on JBS (formerly Shalom TV), denouncing Tuesday's murders of innocent Jewish worshipers in a synagogue in Jerusalem. Five Israelis were murdered by the axe, knife and gun-toting terrorists, while five remain hospitalized.

The issue of incitement is ever present as reports indicate public praise for the attackers and a celebratory atmosphere in the Gaza Strip, which is controlled by the Palestinians.

To attack people as they pray is the height of depravity. These synagogue murders continue a string of terror attacks against Jews in recent weeks.

The story begins at the 3:30 mark in the video:

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B'nai B'rith Remembers Gettysburg Address And Its Adaptation

11/19/2014

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United States President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address, one of the most iconic speeches in American history, on the afternoon of Nov. 19, 1863, at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery on the battlegrounds in Gettysburg, Penn.

On the 151st anniversary of the oration, B'nai B'rith International remembers the enduring legacy of the Gettysburg Address. Gettysburg was considered a turning point for the Union in the American Civil War and a reaffirmation of the principles upon which the nation was founded 87 years before.

At the time, B'nai B'rith, founded in 1843 in New York City, was just 20 years old. Nearly 86 years later, B'nai B'rith would celebrate its 107th birthday with a sermon by Rabbi Herman M. Cohen in St. Paul, Minn., who adapted the language of the Gettysburg Address to celebrate B'nai B'rith.

That speech was included in the April 1951 edition of B'nai B'rith's National Jewish Monthly magazine.

The text from both addresses can be read in their entirety, below:

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address:

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

"Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.

"We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.

"It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

"But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.

"The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

"It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Cohen's B'nai B'rith Address:

"Five score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new organization conceived in unity, and dedicated to the proposition of benevolence, brotherly love and harmony.

"We are met to rededicate ourselves to the lofty ideals of developing and stimulating the culture and moral character of the people of our faith.

"It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

"It is for us, as Jews and as American citizens, to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us; that we here highly resolve that this organization of B'nai B'rith shall, under God, have a new birth of devotion, and that the faith and traditions of the Jewish people, by the Jewish people and for the Jewish people shall not perish from the earth."

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Tablet Mag: Remembering Meir Engel, B’nai B’rith Chaplain Awardee

11/19/2014

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In celebration of Veterans' Day, Tablet Magazine ran a story on Lt. Col. Meir Engel, a Jewish Chaplain in the United States military for World War II, as well as the Korean and Vietnam wars.

As the story details, Engel died while serving his country 50 years ago in Vietnam, but not before making a profound impression on Pvt. Richard Eisenberg, a member of the military police.

Engel earned awards for his service in each war, along with two Bronze Stars, two Army Commendation Medals and B’nai B’rith’s Four Chaplains Award.

Read an excerpt from his story, below:

[...]

Jewish Chaplains Memorial—that’s what the articles called the rounded-off plaque mounted on stone. On Chaplains Hill in the country’s most revered graveyard, on the banks of the Potomac, a new monument had been dedicated on Oct. 24, 2011, joining those memorializing the 150 Protestant and the 65 Catholic chaplains who’d died in service.

The Jewish plaque, plain but elegant, said tons by saying so little: just 14 names, 14 dates of death, 14 titles of rabbi. The men represented the Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox branches of Judaism and had died while serving the U.S. military during the period running from World War II through the Korean War and on to Vietnam.

Only one of the 14 served in all three wars.

Meir Engel.

The program the Jewish Chaplains Council published for the ceremony stated that Engel earned an award for his service in each war, along with two Bronze Stars, two Army Commendation Medals and B’nai B’rith’s Four Chaplains Award.

One commendation medal was for serving at Fort Dix, where he remained until 1962, two years before Eisenberg got there for basic training.

Four of the men memorialized on the new plaque died during the Vietnam War.

But calculating how many American Jewish military chaplains served in Vietnam then is “tricky,” says Albert Slomovitz, author of the book The Fighting Rabbis: Jewish Military Chaplains and American History, because some may have been based elsewhere, like in Japan, and dropped in periodically or were reservists called up for short-term service.

Those based in Vietnam and on full-time active duty were “probably under a minyan’s worth,” he says, fewer than 10.

Eisenberg Perez didn’t know this, but she saw the rabbi’s name mentioned in several articles—his surname, anyway. That’s because a man named David Engel spoke at the Arlington ceremony, but his connection wasn’t stated.

Eisenberg Perez guessed at David Engel’s identity. She went onto Facebook and typed his name. A posting she read mentioned his being Meir’s son.

“Oh, my God!” she thought. “He has living sons!”

[...]

Tablet Magazine

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JBS: B'nai B'rith Condemns U.N.'s Continued Silence On Terror Attacks

11/18/2014

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Last week, B'nai B'rith International was featured on JBS (formerly Shalom TV), denouncing the silence of the international community following weeks of deadly terror attacks on Jews in Israel.

On Nov. 10, an Israel Defense Forces soldier was stabbed multiple times in Tel Aviv while returning to his military base. He later died of his wounds.

Hours before, a woman was fatally stabbed and two more were injured in Alon Shvut. The attack was allegedly carried out by Maher Hamdi A-Shalmon, who was jailed from 2000 to 2005 for throwing fire bombs at Israeli troops.

Those attacks followed two car-based terror attacks at Jerusalem light-rail stations. Earlier today, gun and axe-toting terrorists murdered four Jews and seriously wounded at least six others praying at a synagogue in Jerusalem.

The story begins at the 0:37 mark in the video:

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B'nai B'rith Housing Opens Coolidge at Sudbury (Boston)

11/16/2014

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In just two months, more than 85 percent of the units are already filled at B'nai B'rith Housing's new affordable housing development in Sudbury, Mass. When fully occupied, the building will be home to more than 70 seniors.

B'nai B'rith is the largest national Jewish sponsor of federally subsidized housing for the elderly in the United States. For more than 40 years, in a cooperative partnership with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, B'nai B'rith has made rental apartments available for senior citizens with limited incomes.

B'nai B'rith senior housing is open to all qualified individuals as defined by HUD, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, handicap or national origin.

Read what some of the staff and residents are saying about B'nai B'rith's newest senior housing center:

Find Out More!

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Recap: B'nai B'rith Latin America Remembers Kristallnacht (Spanish)

11/14/2014

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Floriano Pesaro

On the 76th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the "Night Of Broken Glass" that set the Holocaust into action in Germany and Austria, B'nai B'rith hosted a number of remembrance events in Latin America.

B'nai B'rith Uruguay hosted its annual Act to Commemorate the Kristallnacht. The main speech was delivered by the Archbishop of Montevideo Daniel Sturla.

Read more about the event via the Uruguay Press.

B'nai B'rith Argentina hosted a major interfaith gathering at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Buenos Aires.

The message of the meeting was simple: remember and honor the victims of the tragedy, and work together to ensure that so heinous of an act can never occur again.

According to an article in Iton Gadol, Rabbi Fabian Skornik of Lamroth Hakol addressed the crowd, saying:

"As human beings we are always invited to learn, and if we learn, we grow. The passage of time does nothing but transform the events and facts involved into learning experiences. But when confronted with an event like the Holocaust, one of the greatest atrocities ever faced by human beings, it is difficult to draw lessons."

Religious and political leaders in attendance included: Archbishop Emil Paul Tscherrig, Archbishop Oscar Ojea, Israeli Ambassador Dorit Shavit, Germany Ambassador Konrad Georg Graf von Waldersee, Italian Ambassador Teresa Castaldo, Greek Ambassador Eleni Leivaditou.

Read highlights of the event from Radio JAI, Iton Gadol (linked here, here and here), Palermo Online and the Jewish News Agency, below (Spanish):

Uruguay 'Act to Commemorate':

El rabino Dr. Leo Baeck, gran líder espiritual del judaísmo alemán de aquellos años sostuvo que "mil años de vida judía en Alemania habían llegado a su fin".

Además de las sinagogas destruidas, casi un centenar de judíos murieron en la ocasión; miles fueron deportados a "incipientes" campos de concentración. La denominación "noche de los cristales rotos" se debe a que, además de las sinagogas fueron rotos los vidrios de gran cantidad de tiendas, locales y negocios; tal vez, esa noche debería denominarse "la noche de las sinagogas destruidas".

Si bien antes del año 1938 hubo actos de violencia "la noche de los cristales rotos" marca un momento decisivo en la carrera antisemita nazi.

Uruguay Press

Argentina Interfaith Recap:

En la Catedral Metropolitana de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, organizada por la Comisión de Diálogo Interconfesional de B’Nai B’Rith Argentina y la Comisión Arquidiocesana de Ecumenismo y Diálogo Interreligioso del Arzobispado de Buenos Aires, con la adhesión de la Diócesis de San Isidro y la comunidad Lamroth Hakol, se efectuó ayer, domingo, al anochecer, una conmemoración del 76º aniversario de la “Noche de los Cristales Rotos”, el pogrom que los nazis efectuaron en la noche del 9 al 10 de noviembre y denominaron “Kristallnacht”.

El rabino Fabián Skornik, de Lamroth Hakol, agradeció la presencia de la concurrencia “para recordar a las víctimas de una tragedia enorme”.

“Como seres humanos estamos siempre invitados a aprender, y si aprendemos, crecemos; no tiene que ver con el paso del tiempo, sino con transformar la experiencia vivida y los hechos estudiados en experiencias de aprendizaje”, pero “cuando nos enfrentamos a un hecho como la Shoá, una de las barbaries más grandes que tuvimos que enfrentar los seres humanos, es difícil extraer enseñanzas”, aseguró.

[...]

Iton Gadol

Serving A Painful Reminder:

El diputado nacional por Pro Federico Pinedo (foto) aseguró ayer, domingo, a la Agencia Judía de Noticias (AJN) que eventos como la conmemoración del 76º aniversario de la “Noche de los Cristales Rotos” en la Catedral Metropolitana le provocan una doble sensación de “dolor y recuerdo”.

“Me gustó que se dijera que ‘recuerdo’ es volver a pasar por el corazón; entonces, estas ceremonias sirven para volver a pasar por el corazón el dolor del horror, de lo que es inimaginable que el hombre pueda hacer, pero hace e hizo”, prosiguió.

Jewish News Agency

A Respectful Attitude By All:

[...]

A un año de los incidentes, el 76 aniversario del pogrom nazi recordado como “La noche de los cristales rotos” se conmemorará nuevamente en la catedral metropolitana con un acto interreligioso.

El año pasado, la recordación de la "Kristallnacht" estaba prevista para las 18.45 en la Catedral metropolitana. Sin embargo, apenas había comenzado la ceremonia, un grupo de 40 personas empezó a rezar con actitud provocadora y a los gritos, con intención de interrumpir la ceremonia.

Durante media hora, pese a que los asistentes les gritaron “nazis”, no cesaron con su actitud. Luego, con la presencia de la Policía, decidieron abandonar la Catedral, lo que permitió poder comenzar el acto.

El hecho fue considerado un acto antisemita y recibió el repudio de toda la sociedad.

[...]

Iton Gadol

One Of The Best Attended Events:

[...]

Este año, la Kristallnacht será conmemorada el próximo domingo con tres importantes actividades en Argentina: el acto organizado por la B’nai B’rith de Argentina, en esta oportunidad en la Catedral Metropolitana, a partir de las 18.45, con la participación del cardenal Mario Poli, arzobispo de Buenos Aires; el rabino Fabian Skornik, de la Comunidad Lamroth Hakol; y el Coro Sharim de la Sociedad Hebraica Argentina.

[...]

Iton Gadol

Archbishop Mario Poli's Prayer

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Real Estate Weekly Spotlights B'nai B'rith Monthly Luncheon

11/12/2014

Caption: B'nai B'rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin discussed “Issues Facing World Jewry Today” at the October B’nai B’rith Real Estate luncheon at the The Cornell Club in New York City.

Pictured (L-R): Robert Shapiro, Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, Gerald Morganstern,Goetz Fitzpatrick LLP, Pres. Allan Jacobs, B'nai B'rith International, Mariaschin, Lydia Sklar, Sklar Realty Group, Greg Kraut, Avison Young, Jeff Mitzner, First American Title Insurance, and Harry Zlokower, Zlokower Company Public Relations.

Veteran's Day Throwback: Military Lauds S.C.A.F.V. Program (1951)

11/11/2014

On Veteran's Day 2014, B'nai B'rith International is reminded of the tremendous sacrifice given by military men and women to ensure the freedom of future generations.

This is a long-held position by B'nai B'rith, which has worked closely with the military to ensure that the service men and women, as well as their families, were given the resources necessary to adjust to life after combat.

One such effort was made by the National Service Committee for the Armed Forces and Veterans (S.C.A.F.V.) in October, 1950, in response to the outbreak of war in Korea. The resolution approved by the committee called for:

"...the members of B'nai B'rith and all our fellow citizens to participate actively in civil defense as individuals and as groups in our communities and to support and strengthen our civil defense machinery, local, state and federal."

Put into practice, B'nai B'rith raised funds for active military personnel, veterans and their families, partnering with the USO and Veterans Affairs to ensure the resources were routed where they were needed most.

These projects included sending special kits and supplies to soldiers fighting on the front lines in Korea, sponsoring community farewells for draftees, entertaining GIs in training before deployment, serving patients in 150 veterans hospitals through entertainment and supply distribution, furnishing more than 70,000 tuberculous kits to ill veterans, collecting books and magazines, distributing The National Jewish Monthly and mobilizing volunteer workers in every major city.

In June of 1951, military brass lauded the contributions of B'nai B'rith to the support effort, as covered by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency and The National Jewish Monthly:

One particularly impressive statement came from G.C. Marshall, Secretary of Defense:

"I was glad to learn that B’nai B’rith, through its National Service Committee for the Armed Forces and Veterans, has resumed its programs of religious, recreational, and personal services for the benefit of the men and women in our armed force.

"In World War II similar services of B’nai B’rith won the praise of the men and women in uniform, and gained official citations and recognition both of the Army and the Navy.

"I feel confident that the same high standard of service so characteristic of B’nai B’rith will be maintained during the present emergency."

B'nai B'rith continued with the S.C.A.F.V. program, earning additional praise from the military after the conclusion of the conflict.

Via The Jewish Telegraphic Agency on March 6, 1956:

The Veterans Administration has presented a certificate of appreciation to B’nai B’rith for ten years of continuous voluntary service to hospitalized veterans across the nation.

The presentation was made at the annual meeting of the B’nai B’rith National Service, Committee for the Armed Forces and Veterans which took place here yesterday at the Hotel Statler.

Dr. William S. Middleton, chief medical director of the VA, made the presentation to Philip M. Klutznick, world president of B’nai B’rith, in connection with the tenth, anniversary of the organization of the Veterans Administration Voluntary Service to be observed during National VAVS Week, April 15 to 21.

Plans for continued B’nai B’rith participation in volunteer work at military and veterans hospitals, with the Ground Observer Corps, civil defense and the Red Cross were outlined at the sessions of the National Service committee.

Jewish Telegraphic Agency

Veteran Spotlight: B'nai B'rith Remembers Gilbert Steingart

11/11/2014

On Veterans Day 2014, B'nai B'rith International honors all of the men and women of the armed forces sacrificing and defending against tyranny so that future generations might be free.

B'nai B'rith has played a role supporting the military and its members dating back to the American Civil War. Over time, that role has evolved as needed, providing resources before and after combat, while members have answered the call to take up arms.

One such member was Lt. Gilbert Steingart, a dentist in the Navy during World War II. Lt. Steingart served in the Pacific Theater, leaving behind his wife, Eleanor, and children--as well as his leadership posts at the local B'nai B'rith lodge. However, he maintained regular contact with his wife and friends at the lodge, writing more than 500 letters during the war.

Read all of his letters mentioning B'nai B'rith, here.

The following are highlights from his letters, posted online by his daughter, Linda Frumkes:

Can't attend B'nai B'rith Past Presidents Night:

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart
U.S.S. Ocelot, F.P.O. San Francisco
Friday 15 September 1944

Dear Earl,

          Just received your letter and am answering immediately.  I sure wish that I could attend the lodge meeting Past Presidents' night and help initiate the new members.  That being impossible will you please act as my proxy and convey my best wishes to the lodge and my congratulations to the new initiates.

          Through the bulletin and the news Eleanor writes me I am keeping up on lodge activities.  However, I have been wondering how the War Service Committee is getting along.  You know it was my baby last year and at the present time I feel it is as important a committee as any that we have.

How is the letter writing project going?  I never realized how important that was until I shipped out.  When a fellow is thousands of miles from home it's amazing to see how much of a lift a letter brings.  I sincerely hope that my not having received letters is no indication that the project has fallen by the wayside.

[...]

Who Is B'nai B'rith War Service Chairman?

Lt. (j.g.) Gilbert Steingart
U.S.S. Ocelot, F.P.O. San Francisco
Tuesday 2 Janaury 1945, 10:15 PM

Dearest Eleanor,

          Hello darling, here I am again.  I forgot to mention in yesterday's letter that when I went ashore I ran into a Dr. Arnerich, who graduated a year before I did.  He is on a tender and has been out here for five months.  It's twelve years since I last saw him.  Yet we recognized each other immediately.  Guess we haven't changed much at that.  Oh yes, I shaved off my beard but I still have a moustache.  If and when I get some film I'll take a picture and send it on.

[...]

          Darling, who is War Service Chairman for the B'nai B'rith?  Please let me know, as I have a request to make of the lodge through him

          Do you remember when I was chairman myself and the money we raised every meeting for men overseas?  Well after the war we'll see what time will bring.

[...]

Holocaust Rescuer: 'What I did Is What Everybody Should Do'

11/10/2014

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Last week, in a ceremony in New York City, B'nai B'rith International recognized Berta Davidovitz Rubinsztejn for her heroic actions halfway around the globe and a lifetime ago, honoring her with the Jewish Rescuers Citation.

During the time of Nazi occupation in Budapest, Rubinsztejn, only in her early 20's at the time, became a hero and mother for Jewish children that would have otherwise perished in the Holocaust.

Rubinsztejn believes her selfless actions were common sense. Meir Brand, one of the children she rescued, attended the ceremony and had a much different perspective.

“I am standing here only because of you, Berta,” Brand told Rubinsztejn and the gathered attendees.

Read more about the event, as covered in articles in New York Daily News, Bronx News 12 and VIN News:

NY Daily News:

“I was the only survivor of my whole family,” [Meir] added.

[...]

Rubinsztejn — now a great-grandmother who has called the Bronx home for 55 years — was given the Jewish Rescuers Citation by B'Nai B'Rith at Thursday’s event.

“What I did is what everybody should do,” Rubinsztejn said of her courageous work.

“Give children your love and the world grows up a better place.”

VINNews.com:

Brand lived on the streets of Budapest alone for almost a year before Rubinsztejn found him and took him in.

One month later, Rubinsztejn and Brand were on a train headed for Spain in a deal made with the Nazis by journalist Rudolf Kasztner to provide safety to Jews leaving Hungary in exchange for trucks.

After spending months at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, the pair were sent to Switzerland, then Israel.

Brand made his home in Israel, while Rubinsztejn has lived in the Bronx for 55 years.

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Vis A Vis: Recapping B'nai B'rith Argentina's Human Rights Awards

11/6/2014

On Tuesday evening, B'nai B'rith Argentina held its annual recognition ceremony for the Human Rights awards recipients. Embassy representatives from Germany, Brazil, Greeze and Bulgaria joined B'nai B'rith and community leaders attending the event.

This year's four winners are: Beatriz Pellizzari from The Plant, a project dedicated to helping people with disabilities to have a better life; Rabbi Alexander Avruj and Father Jose Maria (Pepe) Di Paola for the work they have done combating homelessness and hunger over the last decade; and Dr. Fernando Polack from the Infant Foundation, working to prevent infant and adolescent deaths through disease prevention and education.

The event has been covered extensively by Vis A Vis in tweets and articles (links here and here), highlights of which can be found, below (Spanish):

@rabaleavruj: "Este premio ratifica el rabino que soy hoy, y me ayuda a definir el rabino que quiero ser" http://t.co/aNS1wd8qqV @BnaiBrith
— VIS A VIS (@visavistv) November 5, 2014

Vis A Vis Event Q&A:

El vicepresidente Ejecutivo de la B`nai B`rith Argentina, Jorge Burkman, dialogó con VIS A VIS a un día de realizarse la entrega del "Premio Derechos Humanos 2014", y comentó acerca del significado del reconocimiento, como así también, sobre la elección de los ganadores, en esta ocasión a personas que se dedican a ayudar a quienes más lo necesitan.

-¿Qué significado tiene para la institución la entrega de estos premios?

- El Premio B'nai B'rith Derechos Humanos fue instituido en el año 1988 en oportunidad de cumplirse el 40° aniversario de la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos por parte de las Naciones Unidas. Desde entonces son candidatos a recibir la distinción personas u organizaciones que se destacan en la promoción y defensa de los derechos humanos de acuerdo a dicha declaración universal.

- ¿Por qué eligieron a este grupo de personas?

- Los miembros de B'nai B'rith Argentina proponen a sus candidatos y luego de una compulsa interna se los elige. En esta oportunidad se dio especial importancia a aquellos que se destacan por su labor solidaria dando apoyo a los más necesitados. Tal es el caso de los premiados, quiénes desde distintas posiciones ayudan a ese fin; Beatriz Pellizari de La Usina trabaja para ayudar en su inserción laboral a personas con capacidades diferentes. El Padre Pepe y el Rabino Avruj han desarrollado y lo siguen haciendo con trabajos muy importantes en villas de emergencia de Buenos Aires creando comedores y talleres con salida laboral. El Dr. Polack a través de su Fundación Infantil investiga y aporta soluciones médicas en poblaciones de bajos recursos.

Premios @BnaiBrith: Los derechos humanos como estandarte para la solidaridad http://t.co/nDNMo4nEim @DAIAArgentina @gc_producciones
— VIS A VIS (@visavistv) November 5, 2014

Vis A Vis Event Recap:

Al comienzo del acto se hizo el encendido de la Menorá a cargo de personas de la comisión directiva de la institución o por personas que fueron distinguidas con este premio en otros años.

Luego el vicepresidente primero en ejercicio de la presidenta, Santiago Kuperwajs, quien realizó un discurso en el que resaltó que actualmente los derechos humanos están distorsionados por el uso político que se hace de ellos.

Luego comenzó la ceremonia de premiación; en primer lugar fue condecorada la Licenciada Beatriz Pellizzari, quién hace un gran trabajo con "La Usina" que es un proyecto que se dedica a ayudar a las personas discapacitadas a tener una mejor vida, desde el trabajo que puedan llegar a conseguir hasta en la vestimenta que puedan utilizar para no sentirse menos en una sociedad que todavía le cuesta ver al otro como un igual.

A continuación fue premiado el Rabino Alejandro Avruj y el Padre José María (Pepe) Di Paola por el trabajo que vienen haciendo hace más de 10 años en las villas poniendo comedores para que la gente que viva allí , al menos tenga un plato de comida para no pasar hambre.

Durante el corto discurso que brindó el rabino Avruj expresó que hace poco tiempo junto al Padre Pepe inauguraron un nuevo comedor llamado "Shalom" en Villa la Carcova y también hicieron lo mismo en la Comunidad Amijai en Belgrano. Por último se le entregó una plaqueta al Dr. Fernando Polack, infectólogo, de la Fundación Infant que hace el trabajo de prevención por la muerte de niños en nuestro país por diferentes enfermedades que son poco difundidas.

B'nai B'rith Questions Heinz Endowment On Controversial Grant

11/5/2014

B'nai B'rith International contacted The Heinz Endowments, expressing dismay and deep concern over a grant previously given to Pittsburgh eatery Conflict Kitchen, which has served anti-Israel propaganda to diners as part of it's "Palestine" campaign.

The Heinz Foundation responded, denouncing the kitchen's current campaign and clarifying the timing of its one-time $50,000 grant (given in 2013).

The release was covered in articles run on The Algemeiner and the Jewish News Service. Read highlights from those reports, below:

JNS.org:

In an Oct. 31 statement on the correspondence, B’nai B’rith International called on Heinz Endowments to go further by issuing a “public disavowal” of its $50,000 grant to Pittsburgh-based snack bar Conflict Kitchen, which sells sandwiches wrapped in paper bearing anti-Israel slogans.

[...]

Conflict Kitchen, located near Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, says it aims to use its menu to teach students about conflict between the U.S. and the countries it features in its cuisine selection.

The information spread via the anti-Israel food wrappers includes quotes defending terrorism against Israel. One wrapper reads, “How can you compare Israeli F-16s, which are some of the best military planes in the world, to a few hundred homemade rockets?”

The Algemeiner:

The head of Heinz Endowments, a foundation chaired by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s wife Teresa Heinz, wrote a letter to a Jewish organization that criticized the anti-Israel activity of one of the foundation's recently revealed grant recipients.

[...]

“I want to be especially clear that [Conflict Kitchen’s] current program on Palestine was not funded by the endowments and we would not fund such a program, precisely because it appears to be terribly at odds with the mission of promoting understanding. … [Heinz Endowments] emphatically does not agree with or support either the anti-Israel sentiments quoted on Conflict Kitchen’s food wrappers or the program’s refusal to incorporate Israeli or Jewish voices in its material,” Oliphant wrote.

TOI: New EU Foreign Policy Chief’s First Destination Is Israel

11/4/2014

The European Union's new Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini will make Israel her first destination in office.

This comes one week after B’nai B’rith International hosted the EU’s Israel Relations Chair Fulvio Martusciello at the World Center in Jerusalem.

According to an article in the Times of Israel, this is a return trip for Mogherini, who visited the country as Italy's foreign minister during the height of Operation Protective Edge this summer.

Read more about her visit and views in the article's highlights, below:

[...]

On November 1, Federica Mogherini will succeed Catherine Ashton as the union’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy. Less than a week later, she is scheduled to arrive in Israel for her first official visit, sources in Jerusalem confirmed Tuesday.

Mogherini — currently Italy’s foreign minister — will arrive in the region on November 7 and stay for two days. She is expected to also visit senior Palestinian Authority officials in Ramallah.

“It’s very important that Ms. Mogherini comes to Israel on November 7. It’s her first official visit,” said Fulvio Martusciello, a member of the European Parliament from Italy and the new president of its delegation for relations with Israel.

Having known her for a while, he believes she understands Israel’s many predicaments, he added, but refused to elaborate.

“I hope we will be able to work together,” Martusciello, who is currently visiting Israel at the invitation of B’nai Brith International, told The Times of Israel Tuesday during an interview in the Knesset.

[...]

Mogherini is a member of Italy’s center-left government led by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who is known to be generally friendly toward Israel and tough on Iran’s nuclear program.

[...]

Read Full Article

Argentina: B'nai B'rith Human Rights Award 2014 Announced

11/4/2014

B'nai B'rith Argentina announced the recipients of their 2014 Human Rights awards, which will be bestowed on four individuals in a ceremony on Tuesday, Nov. 4 in Buenos Aires.

The announcement was featured in a blog post on Vis a Vis, and can be seen below in its entirety (Spanish):

B´nai B´rith Argentina realizará el acto de entrega del "Premio B´nai B´rith Derechos Humanos 2014" el próximo martes 4 de noviembre a las 18.30 horas en su sede de Juncal 2573, Ciudad de Buenos Aires.

El reconocimiento distingue a personalidades e instituciones que se destacan por su labor en la promoción y defensa de los derechos humanos.

El premio se entrega desde el año 1988 instituido en el 40 aniversario de la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos de Naciones Unidas.

En esta oportunidad serán distinguidos: la licenciada Beatriz Pellizzari, directora general de la Asociación civil La Usina; el Padre José María (Pepe) Di Paola; el rabino Alejandro Avruj; y el doctor Fernando Polack, director de la Fundación Infant.

Gallery: B’nai B’rith Cuban Jewish Relief Project, Oct. 2014

11/3/2014

For nearly 20 years, B'nai B'rith International has operated legal missions to Cuba under the auspices of the Cuban Jewish Relief Project.

Through our partnership with the Maimonides lodge we have initiated the Tzedakah Project, providing direct gifts in small amounts to assist 120 elderly Cuban Jews across the island.

Our mission participants have also carried down thousands of pounds of religious material contributions to enhance the ability of the Jewish population in Cuba to practice their religion, as well as medicines and other necessities, while building personal friendships to last a lifetime.

Look at images from the October, 2014 trip to Cuba:

Jewish Exponent: A Jewish Basketball League Of Their Own

Video: Kristallnacht Commemoration Ceremony In Uruguay (Spanish)

B'nai B'rith Statement To OSCE On Combating Anti-Semitism Today

JBS: B'nai B'rith Outraged By Deadly Synagogue Attack In Israel

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Lincoln's Gettysburg Address:

Cohen's B'nai B'rith Address:

Tablet Mag: Remembering Meir Engel, B’nai B’rith Chaplain Awardee

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B'nai B'rith Housing Opens Coolidge at Sudbury (Boston)

Recap: B'nai B'rith Latin America Remembers Kristallnacht (Spanish)

Uruguay 'Act to Commemorate':

Argentina Interfaith Recap:

Serving A Painful Reminder:

A Respectful Attitude By All:

One Of The Best Attended Events:

Real Estate Weekly Spotlights B'nai B'rith Monthly Luncheon

Veteran's Day Throwback: Military Lauds S.C.A.F.V. Program (1951)

Veteran Spotlight: B'nai B'rith Remembers Gilbert Steingart

Can't attend B'nai B'rith Past Presidents Night:

Who Is B'nai B'rith War Service Chairman?

Holocaust Rescuer: 'What I did Is What Everybody Should Do'

NY Daily News:

VINNews.com:

Vis A Vis: Recapping B'nai B'rith Argentina's Human Rights Awards

Vis A Vis Event Q&A:

Vis A Vis Event Recap:

B'nai B'rith Questions Heinz Endowment On Controversial Grant

JNS.org:

The Algemeiner:

TOI: New EU Foreign Policy Chief’s First Destination Is Israel

Argentina: B'nai B'rith Human Rights Award 2014 Announced

Gallery: B’nai B’rith Cuban Jewish Relief Project, Oct. 2014

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