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(Washington, D.C., Feb. 26, 2021)--B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
We strongly condemn Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s reported refusal of an Israeli proposal to open a coronavirus vaccination location in the area of the Temple Mount. The decision puts the health and safety of both Israelis and Palestinians at risk. The proposal, sent to the Palestinian Authority and the Jerusalem Waqf, the authority overseeing Muslim holy places, was meant to provide vaccinations mainly to Palestinian worshippers gathering at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on the Temple Mount. A second offer by Israel, that the vaccines be administered by Arab Israelis rather than by Jews, was also apparently rejected by the Palestinian Authority and the Waqf. Abbas’s opposition unambiguously puts politics ahead of the health and safety of citizens. We urge that the vaccination station be allowed to open. Israel’s rapid and robust program to vaccinate all citizens has resulted in a large drop in COVID-19 hospitalizations. Israel currently has the world’s highest per capita rate of coronavirus vaccinations. B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit bnaibrith.org. Providing Funds Match Up to $10,000 (Washington, D.C., Feb. 22, 2021)--B’nai B’rith International is opening its Disaster and Emergency Relief Fund to assist those impacted by the Texas winter storm crisis. We will be accepting donations to help with this unprecedented catastrophe and will match donations up to $10,000 to assist those affected by this crisis.
Millions of people across the state were left without access to electricity, clean water or gas for days in freezing conditions. The unprecedented storm has also left already vulnerable low-income populations reeling. Efforts to restore power across the state continue, but thousands are still experiencing outages and millions more still uncertain access to clean water. President Joe Biden declared that a major disaster exists in 77 Texas counties. We would like to thank our friends at World Central Kitchen for providing 110 meals to residents of our Mollie & Max Barnett Apartments and Tarrant County B’nai B’rith Apartments in Fort Worth. B’nai B’rith and World Central Kitchen have had a strong partnership since 2017, when B’nai B’rith supported World Central Kitchen’s relief efforts in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. A B’nai B’rith Center for Senior Services team spent time in Puerto Rico helping with rebuilding efforts after that hurricane. B’nai B’rith is exploring the needs of several communities and partners in Texas and will work with partners on the ground to determine needs and solutions. Our Disaster and Emergency Relief Fund is part of our longstanding tradition of helping communities in distress, which began in 1865 in pre-state Israel when we raised funds to aid victims of a cholera outbreak. Since then, B’nai B’rith has helped countless people across the globe who have faced adversity after natural and man-made disasters. Recent donations to our Disaster and Emergency Relief Fund have helped vulnerable communities around the world stay safe during the coronavirus pandemic. To help us help communities in need in Texas, donate to our Disaster and Emergency Relief Fund here. Donors can also call 800-573-9057 to make a credit card contribution over the phone. Or, you can send a check payable to the B’nai B’rith Disaster and Emergency Relief Fund to: B’nai B’rith International Disaster and Emergency Relief Fund 1120 20th Street NW, Suite 300N Washington, D.C. 20036 B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit bnaibrith.org. (Washington, D.C., Feb. 5, 2021)—B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
We reject a ruling out today by the International Criminal Court (ICC) giving itself the power to investigate Israel and the Palestinians for supposed “war crimes” stemming from the 2014 Operation Protective Edge, where Israel defended itself from Hamas terror attacks. The ruling also determined that “Palestine” is a state. With this ICC decision, we see again that Israel is subject to systemic bias in multilateral organizations. The ICC puts Hamas and Israel on the same playing field, even though Israel’s actions were defensive in the face of Hamas attacks. We concur with Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu’s assessment: “The ICC ignores the real war crimes and instead pursues the State of Israel,” and further: “In this decision the ICC violated the right of democracies to defend themselves against terrorism, and played into the hands of those who undermine efforts to expand the circle of peace.” B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit www.bnaibrith.org. (Washington, D.C., Feb. 3, 2021)--Winners of the “Students Speak Out Against Anti-Semitism. A Creative Video Production Contest,” were honored Tuesday at a virtual awards ceremony hosted by B’nai B’rith International and the Combat Anti-Semitism Movement (CAM), co-sponsors of the contest.
This unique public awareness campaign was created to strengthen the fight against anti-Semitism, hatred and discrimination. The contest challenged high school and undergraduate university students around the world to create two- to three-minute videos to boost education about anti-Semitism and the prejudice, bigotry, hatred and violence it engenders. The three winners are: Porter Christensen of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah for “Universal Acceptance.” Diego Israel Rivera Berumen of Colegio Libre de Estudio Superiores (CLEU) in Guadalajara, Mexico for “Peace Will Thrive.” Madeleine Stern of Broadneck High School in Annapolis, Maryland for her video, “Anti-Semitism is Everywhere: Stop Hate.” Following the premiere of her video, Stern said, “I cannot stop after the ceremony ends. Neither can you. We must educate others. We must not be bystanders when we witness acts of hate…we must stand up for what is right.” Katharina von Schnurbein, European Commission coordinator on combatting anti-Semitism, provided an opening greeting. B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin said, “We had an impressive slate of entries from students around the world. The passion and commitment to recognizing anti-Semitism, and fighting against it, is an encouraging sign that this serious problem is getting serious attention from next-generation leaders. Congratulations to our winners, and to all participants, for thinking about this global problem, and global solutions, in such a meaningful way.” Kaufman and Brig. Gen. (Res.) Sima Vaknin-Gill, senior advisor to CAM, addressed the winners. Kaufman commended all of the contest participants and said, “I know these students can and will fight back. They understand the meaning of Never Again. And never means never. They are not afraid, and I pray their work will influence many others.” Vaknin-Gill said she was proud after seeing the videos and addressed the winners: “You are the crucial element in the fight against anti-Semitism…You are the future and that is why we invest in you so much, because it is up to you to take the fight further.” Sienna Girgenti, B’nai B’rith program director for strategic engagement, and Daniel West Cohen, director of partnerships for CAM, hosted the award ceremony. See the full award ceremony here B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit bnaibrith.org. (Brussels, Feb. 2, 2021)--B’nai B’rith International extends its thanks to the European Commission, UNESCO, the Council of Europe, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) for their contributions to the B’nai B’rith International Holocaust Remembrance Day event held on Feb.1.
The commemorative event, “International Holocaust Remembrance Day: Renewed Commitment through Innovation and Cooperation,” featured keynote addresses from President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Director-General of UNESCO Audrey Azoulay, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić, Director of ODIHR Matteo Mecacci and Chair of the IHRA Ambassador Michaela Küchler. The two ensuing expert panels featured the focal points in these institutions tasked with tackling anti-Semitism and grassroots initiatives, bringing innovation to the field of remembrance, education and research. Von der Leyen noted “B'nai B'rith International never wavered in its mission to fight anti-Semitism and racism, to promote Jewish life, to stand by Israel and to preserve the memory of the Holocaust. Today I am here to tell you that Europe is with you in this endeavor—because anti-Semitism strikes at the heart of our values: humanity, religious freedom, equality.” She continued, “This year we will present the first ever European strategy to combat anti-Semitism. Holocaust remembrance and education will be an important aspect in this strategy, and we will increase our funding for projects on Holocaust remembrance and education. And in addition, last week we have launched the campaign #ProtectTheFacts which pushes back Holocaust distortion together with the United Nations, UNESCO and the IHRA. We back up our fight against Holocaust distortion and denial by legislation too. With our Digital Services Act, we make clear that online platforms must take greater responsibility for their role in disseminating and promoting such material. Because when there are attempts to deny the Holocaust, it is Europe itself that is called into question.” In her opening remarks Küchler noted, “Remembrance has to go digital. While nothing can replace the immediacy of a story told in person, it is wonderful that we have found creative ways of remembering. This will also help us to preserve testimonies of survivors over time.” Several of the speakers and panelists made reference to the growth of anti-Semitism that we are currently facing in Europe, with Pejčinović Burić mentioning that “We live in a time of uncertainty, when a shrill and intolerant tone too often breaks true and where there has been an increase in the incidents of anti-Semitic words and attacks.” Mecacci noted “As the organizers of this conference [B’nai B’rith International] rightly identify, such negative trends can only be counteracted through innovation and collaboration... But we need to intensify these efforts.” The event itself is a testament to the work being done and the commitments being made by leaders of international, regional and national level organizations alike in Europe and abroad on the fight against anti-Semitism. However, amid rising levels of hate, anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial and distortion both in the physical world and the online realm, institutions and organizations in Europe and around the world must take this moment to effect positive change. Indeed, in speaking to the necessary societal response to rising levels of anti-Semitism, Azoulay said, “We are called on to assume our responsibility, that of remembering what took place yesterday and what is taking place here and now. More than ever, we need to take action and fight amnesia, the distortion of facts, and to not cede ground to liars and demagogues through the power of memory and education.” The memory of the Shoah must be cultivated to promote commemoration in future generations as a historical marker and such informal and educational initiatives must be backed up by effective and necessary legal and legislative frameworks used in order to combat anti-Semitic hate. As B’nai B’rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin put it in his welcome remarks to the event, “[We are thankful that] Key international institutions have joined us to recommit their efforts to discharge an abiding duty, to preserve the memory of the Holocaust, to tackle anti-Semitism and hatred and work to foster Jewish life.” See the full event here. B’nai B’rith International has advocated for global Jewry and championed the cause of human rights since 1843. B’nai B’rith is recognized as a vital voice in promoting Jewish unity and continuity, a staunch defender of the State of Israel, a tireless advocate on behalf of senior citizens and a leader in disaster relief. With a presence around the world, we are the Global Voice of the Jewish Community. Visit bnaibrith.org. |
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