On the first day of the B’nai B’rith Leadership Forum, B’nai B’rith International President Gary P. Saltzman gave the annual State of the Organization speech. “We are the organization to lead the way,” he said.

Pamela Nadell, is chair of the history department and director of the Jewish studies program at American University. Her speech focused on the history of Jewish women and American politics.

Ira Bartfield, who chairs the B’nai B’rith Center for Jewish Identity, reads the Havdalah prayer, as Jessica Kreger, chair of the B’nai B’rith Young Leadership Network-South Florida, holds the candle.

(From left to right) B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin moderated a panel discussion on international issues with Director of Legislative Affairs Eric Fusfield, Director of Latin America Affairs Eduardo Kohn, Director of U.N. and Intercommunal Affairs David Michaels. They discussed the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s adoption of a working definition of anti-Semitism, Iran’s relationship with Latin American countries and the dangers it poses, the United Nations’ “High Level Forum on Global Antisemitism” and the heroism of Jews who rescued fellow Jews during the Holocaust.

B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin opened the second panel. He discussed global anti-Semitism and conveyed his concerns over the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement, the United Nations and expressions of anti-Semitism originating in the Middle East and Europe.

After the international discussion, another panel focused on domestic issues. Once again, it featured B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin and Director of Legislative Affairs Eric Fusfield—this time with the addition of Director of Aging and Health Policy Rachel Goldberg. They addressed gun control issues and immigration reform, and discussed how the presidential election could affect Social Security.

National Security Council Senior Director for European Affairs Charles Kupchan, spoke on the current challenges facing Europe.

Lila Zorn, co-chair of membership for B’nai B’rith, tells attendees about “Unto Every Person There Is a Name,” of which B’nai B’rith is the North American sponsor. Each year on Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), on the 27th day of the month of Nissan, participants around the world read the names of victims who died in the Holocaust, and where and when they were born and died.

Guest speaker Charles Lane, Washington Post opinion writer, spoke about the 2016 presidential election from his perspective as a member of the media.

Nikki Usher, assistant professor at The George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs, and Neil Potts public policy manager of Facebook, led a discussion on the benefits and dangers of social media. Through the lens of freedom of speech, they examined how people use social media platforms to spread postivity and information, as well as hate and fear.

The forum ended with a special edition of the B’nai B’rith Diplomatic Encounter Series, featuring (from left to right) Spanish Ambassador Ramón Gil-Casares, B’nai B’rith International Senior Vice President Sheila Mostyn, B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin, Israeli Ambassador Ron Dermer and B’nai B’rith International President Gary P. Saltzman. The ambassadors discussed the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Israel and Spain and the much longer relationship between Spain and the Jewish people. In their hands, Gil-Casares and Dermer held “Lincoln and the Jews,” by Jonathan Sarna and Benjamin Shapell—a gift from B’nai B’rith.