B’nai B’rith International President Gary P. Saltzman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
 
B’nai B’rith International (BBI) denounces the United Nations General Assembly for today passing another anti-Israel resolution, which objected to President Donald J. Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital by expressing “deep regret at recent decisions concerning the status of Jerusalem” and urging “all States to refrain from the establishment of diplomatic missions in the Holy City.”
 
The effectively non-binding motion passed with 128 member states voting in favor, 35 abstaining and nine voting against. B’nai B’rith is appreciative that Guatemala, Honduras, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau and Togo stood by the United States and Israel.
 
We agree with U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley that the U.N.’s “disproportionate focus on Israel” is “a wrong that undermines the credibility of this institution and that in turn is harmful for the entire world.” As importantly, no nation has as much claim to its capital as Israel does to Jerusalem, and the U.S. is right to recognize that reality.
 
It is unacceptable that allies such as Britain, France and Germany voted for yet one more deeply objectionable and unhelpful U.N. resolution. We take note of those European Union member states and Latin American or Caribbean countries that abstained on this motion.
 
General Assembly “emergency special sessions” like today’s have been held more often to focus on singling out the world’s only Jewish, democratic state for abuse than on challenging or critiquing any of the other 192 U.N. member states. The resolution was brought by Turkey, which has expressed the intention to alter the final status of Jerusalem in Palestinians’ favor, and Yemen, where ongoing violence has seen a nearly unrivaled humanitarian catastrophe fueled in significant part by Iran-backed extremists whose official flag reads, “Death to America, Death to Israel, Curse on the Jews.”

B’nai B’rith International President Gary P. Saltzman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:  
 
B’nai B’rith International is deeply disappointed that Congress has passed a tax reform plan that does not consider the negative long-term consequences to Medicare and Medicaid — the social safety net programs that are a hallmark of this nation’s commitment to those in need. We have expressed profound reservations about the tax reform plan since its inception, when it was clear many programs important to seniors and other vulnerable populations could be in serious jeopardy and were going to face cuts.
 
Perhaps the biggest danger this Congressional tax plan includes is the likelihood of future cuts to critical federal programs such as Medicare and Medicaid to help pay down what most economists say will be a massive increase in the deficit that will result from these tax cuts. Experts predict that the ensuing revenue short-fall would have to be made up by drastic cuts to programs fundamental to seniors in need. Medicare and Medicaid need to be fully funded to ensure no coverage gap for those who rely on the programs. During the tax reform process, the Congressional Budget Office determined that the tax measure would increase the deficit by $1.4 trillion over the next decade. In 2015, more than 46 million seniors relied on Medicare. But such a massive increase in the deficit could trigger about $25 billion in automatic cuts to Medicare in just one year.
 
The repeal of the individual mandate is another aspect of the law that is disquieting. Last year 3.3 million people between the ages of 55 and 64 received insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.  Repealing the individual mandate, according to the Congressional Budget Office, will cause premiums to increase by 10 percent.
 
We are, however, grateful that Congress kept in place the Low Income Housing Tax Credit and the medical expense deduction. The tax credit provides incentives for the private sector to create affordable housing residences. We are thankful the tax plan keeps in the allowance for the use of private equity bonds, which currently finance about half of all Low Income Housing Tax Credit construction. As we have noted before, the loss of these bonds would have made it very difficult for new affordable housing to be built and for current housing to be maintained. As the largest national Jewish sponsor of low income housing for seniors, we strongly advocated  for this tax credit, which is  responsible for producing about 90 percent of all current affordable housing construction in the United States, and has built about 3 million apartments since it was created. We have seen the benefits directly: The Low Income Housing Tax Credit has helped seniors in the B’nai B’rith Housing Network in St. Louis at Convent Place Apartments, and in Massachusetts at the Coolidge at Sudbury Apartments. According to The Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition, 5.1 million senior households now use more than half their income on housing, and in 2030 the number of seniors is predicted to double. 
 
The tax reform law’s maintenance of the medical expense deduction will also benefit many, allowing people to deduct medical and dental expenses from their tax bottom line. Since 1942, millions of Americans have saved money on their taxes by deducting medical expenses. According to Internal Revenue Service data, in 2013, 56 percent of the taxpayers who took the deduction were over 65. 
 
B’nai B’rith will continue to work with Congress, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and other agencies to advocate for senior housing and protections for vulnerable seniors and other populations.

B’nai B’rith International President Gary P. Saltzman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
​
B’nai B’rith International is dismayed at the presumptuous and counterproductive consideration by the United Nations of a resolution whose only purpose was to implicitly criticize the recent United States recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. That recognition was proper, as was the U.S. vetoing of the draft resolution today. B’nai B’rith International commends Ambassador Nikki Haley for her strong stance in speaking out against this resolution.
 
As all know, Jerusalem alone has always served as Israel's capital, and it is inconceivable that any other city would ever claim that role. Jerusalem has never been the capital of any other state, and no nation anywhere has ties to a city as deep and profound as Israel's are to Jerusalem.
 
Moreover, sovereign states are entitled to choose their appropriate seat of government and to recognize other countries' capital cities. The recent White House acknowledgment, including its expression of intention to situate the American Embassy in Jerusalem, is in keeping with longstanding bipartisan consensus, with realities on the ground and with a Congressional decision dating back more than two decades.
 
Only under the united sovereignty of the Middle East's sole democracy, Israel, has Jerusalem truly flourished as a city of diversity, with religious freedom for all.
 
 It remains deeply inappropriate for the U.N. to attempt to infringe upon the fundamental rights of Israel and the U.S. — and disappointing that any allies of the two countries would enable such infringement. Rather than doing so, efforts should focus on encouraging the Palestinians to finally accept their obligations toward, and conflict-resolution exclusively through direct talks and meaningful compromise with, Israel.

B’nai B’rith International is opening its Disaster Relief Fund to help the victims of the six southern California wildfires that have brought devastation to numerous communities. The wildfires, which began early last week, have destroyed more than 1,000 homes, businesses and other structures and thousands are without power. According to CAL FIRE, 98,000 people have evacuated their homes.
 
All donations to the B’nai B’rith California Wildfires Relief Fund will be matched by the B’nai B’rith Disaster Relief Fund up to $5000.
 
According to the Los Angeles Times, the Thomas Fire (the largest of the six) has burned 238,200 acres, and has been declared California’s fifth largest fire in the state’s history. Officials say only about 35 percent of the Thomas Fire is contained at this time.
 
B’nai B’rith has a 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 facing adversity after natural and man-made disasters.  
 
Donate online to our Disaster Relief Fund at our secure website by clicking here (https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/bbi-disaster-relief).
 
You 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 Relief Fund to:
 
​B’nai B’rith International
Disaster Relief Fund
1120 20th Street NW, Suite 300N
Washington, D.C. 20036

Noted violinist and composer Federico Nathan received the 33rd annual Fraternidad Award named for Maximo Brenner (Z’L), the founder and early president of B’nai B’rith Uruguay.

Some 300 people attended the ceremony at B’nai B’rith Hall in Montevideo on Dec. 12.

B’nai B’rith Uruguay has been presenting the Fraternidad (Fraternity) Award to outstanding artists from different arts (literature, painting, sculpture, music, theater, cinema, ballet and dancing) to recognize excellence in these various artistic disciplines. Winners receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the State of Israel where the B’nai B’rith World Center prepares and implements an intensive itinerary combining tourism with professional interchange, site visits and high-level briefings geared toward fostering ongoing professional ties between the countries.

Winners also have a one-week expenses-paid trip to one European country they select, sponsored by the Brenner family in tribute to Maximo Brenner.

District 28 President Ana Wilenski, Maximo Brenner’s widow, Esther Brenner, and Israeli Ambassador Nina Ben-Ami presented the award to Nathan.

Nathan said: “I am grateful and honored to receive from B´nai B´rith this prestigious and extremely important award, which gives me one of the major recognitions I can receive in our country and in my career and I want to underline the wonderful work of B´nai B´rith based in great principles, mostly fraternity, something the whole world is needing very much. I look forward to my trip to Israel to enjoy and learn."

Contest Will Reward Stories About Diversity and Inclusion with National Publication and College Scholarships

To push back against stereotyping, intolerance, racism and bullying —some of the more challenging issues children face today — high school students across the region are being encouraged to write and illustrate books that highlight diversity and inclusion.
 
B’nai B’rith International is pleased to announce a call for submissions for the Diverse Minds Writing Challenge, its signature tolerance education program that asks high school students to write and illustrate a children’s book that teaches acceptance. Winning books are published and the top winners earn college scholarships.
 
The contest, which is offered through the generous support of Delmarva Power, is available to students in the Delmarva region. B’nai B’rith is proud to work in partnership with Delmarva Power, a company that has long been committed to inclusion and diversity.
 
In the last 11 years, B’nai B’rith has published 37 original children’s books, awarded more than $300,000 in college scholarships and grants, and donated more than 42,000 books to public schools, libraries and community organizations across the country.
 
The winning student, or team of students, earn the prestige of becoming a published author and also secure a $5,000 college scholarship. The professionally published winning books are donated to local elementary schools and libraries and will also be accessible in an e-book format on iTunes as a free download.
 
Students are eligible to participate if they are enrolled in grades nine through 12.
 
Students who live in Delaware and are enrolled in Kent, New Castle and Sussex County public schools; or enrolled in private, charter or independent schools within those counties, are eligible to participate.
 
Students who live in Maryland and are enrolled in Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester Counties public schools; or enrolled in private, charter or independent schools within those counties, are eligible to participate.
 
The deadline for contest submissions is March 16, 2018.
 
The second-place winner earns a $2,000 college scholarship, and the third-place winner receives $1,000 in financial aid for college. The teacher who oversees the winning entry secures a $1,000 grant, and the school of the first-place winning student receives a $500 grant.
 
A diverse panel of judges from the worlds of education, the arts, business and government, along with B’nai B’rith International leaders, will review the entries and select the winners. Previous judging panel members have included Gary Stockbridge, region president for Delmarva Power; Tyrone Jones, chief impact officer, United Way of Delaware; Annmarie Hamilton, executive director, Cecil County Arts Council, Inc.; and Tim Foxx, chief executive officer of Communities in Schools.  
 
B’nai B’rith created this education and awareness program to promote tolerance and communicate a message of equality among all races, ages, abilities and genders, and it is our hope that this educational initiative will encourage our future leaders to be more accepting of one another’s differences. 
 
For more information and detailed contest rules, please visit the Diverse Minds Writing Challenge site here.

Contest Will Reward Stories About Diversity and Inclusion with National Publication and College Scholarships
 
To push back against stereotyping, intolerance, racism and bullying — some of the more challenging issues children face today — high school students across the region are being encouraged to write and illustrate books that highlight diversity and inclusion.
 
B’nai B’rith International is pleased to announce a call for submissions for the Diverse Minds Writing Challenge, its signature tolerance education program that asks high school students to write and illustrate a children’s book that teaches acceptance. Winning books are published and the top winners earn college scholarships.
 
The contest, which is offered through the generous support of Atlantic City Electric, is available to students in southern New Jersey. B’nai B’rith is proud to work in partnership with Atlantic City Electric, a company that has long been committed to inclusion and diversity.
 
In the last 11 years, B’nai B’rith has published 37 original children’s books, awarded more than $300,000 in college scholarships and grants, and donated more than 42,000 books to public schools, libraries and community organizations across the country.
 
The winning student, or team of students, earn the prestige of becoming a published author and also secure a $5,000 college scholarship. The professionally published winning books are donated to local elementary schools and libraries and will also be accessible in an e-book format on iTunes as a free download.
 
Students are eligible to participate if they are enrolled in grades nine through 12 in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean and Salem county public schools; or enrolled in private, charter or independent schools within those counties. The deadline for contest submissions is March 16, 2018.
 
The second-place winner earns a $2,000 college scholarship, and the third-place winner receives $1,000 in financial aid for college. The teacher who oversees the winning entry secures a $1,000 grant, and the school of the first-place winning student receives a $500 grant.
 
A diverse panel of judges from the worlds of education, the arts, business and government, along with B’nai B’rith International leaders, will review the entries and select the winners. Previous judging panel members have included Raymond Yannuzzi, president of Camden County College; Frank X. Balles, sheriff of Atlantic County; Albert B. Kelly, mayor for the City of Bridgeton; and Fola Adebi, executive director of the Wow! Science Camp. 
 
B’nai B’rith created this education and awareness program to promote tolerance and communicate a message of equality among all races, ages, abilities and genders, and it is our hope that this educational initiative will encourage our future leaders to be more accepting of one another’s differences. 
 
For more information and detailed contest rules, please visit the Diverse Minds Writing Challenge site here.

Contest Will Reward Stories About Diversity and Inclusion with National Publication and College Scholarships
 
To push back against stereotyping, intolerance, racism and bullying — some of the more challenging issues children face today — high school students across the region are being encouraged to write and illustrate books that highlight diversity and inclusion.
 
B’nai B’rith International is pleased to announce a call for submissions for the Diverse Minds Writing Challenge, its signature tolerance education program that asks high school students to write and illustrate a children’s book that teaches acceptance. Winning books are published and the top winners earn college scholarships.
 
The contest, which is offered through the generous support of Pepco, is available to students in Washington, D.C., Montgomery County and Prince George’s County. B’nai B’rith is proud to work in partnership with Pepco, a company that has long been committed to inclusion and diversity.
 
In the last 11 years, B’nai B’rith has published 37 original children’s books, awarded more than $300,000 in college scholarships and grants, and donated more than 42,000 books to public schools, libraries and community organizations across the country.
 
The winning student, or team of students, earn the prestige of becoming a published author and also secure a $5,000 college scholarship. The professionally published winning books are donated to local elementary schools and libraries and will also be accessible in an e-book format on iTunes as a free download.
 
Students are eligible to participate if they are enrolled in grades nine through 12 in public schools in the District of Columbia or Montgomery County and Prince George's County in Maryland; or enrolled in private, charter or independent schools in the District and those counties. The deadline for contest submissions is March 16, 2018.
 
The second-place winner earns a $2,000 college scholarship, and the third-place winner receives $1,000 in financial aid for college. The teacher who oversees the winning entry will secure a $1,000 grant, and the school of the first-place winning student receives a $500 grant.
 
A diverse panel of judges from the worlds of education, the arts, business and government, along with B’nai B’rith International leaders, will review the entries and select the winners. Previous judging panel members have included Dave Velazquez, president & CEO of Pepco Holdings; Carolyn Parkhurst, children’s author; Ed DeLeon, chief program officer, Read Across America, for the National Education Association; Jacqueline Jules, children’s author and poet; and Lissa Rosenthal-Yoffe, executive director of the DC Arts and Humanities Education Collaborative. 
 
B’nai B’rith created this education and awareness program to promote tolerance and communicate a message of equality among all races, ages, abilities and genders, and it is our hope that this educational initiative will encourage our future leaders to be more accepting of one another’s differences. 
 
For more information and detailed contest rules, please visit the Diverse Minds Writing Challenge site here.

B’nai B’rith International President Gary P. Saltzman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:
 
B’nai B’rith International warmly welcomes the historic decision by U.S. President Donald J. Trump recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Israel has long been the only country in the world whose choice of a capital is not internationally recognized. The lack of that recognition has been a willful denial of reality by the international community and an injustice.
 
“Jerusalem is not just the heart of three great religions, but it is now also the heart of one of the most successful democracies in the world,” Trump said. Additionally, he emphasized the freedom to worship for all religions in Jerusalem that Israel has always protected.
 
The president made a compelling and convincing case for the decision, not only by referencing the attachment of the Jewish people to its ancient and present capital, but by also mentioning the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, which Congress adopted to encourage the relocation of the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
 
In addition to recognition, Trump then directed the U.S. State Department to begin preparations to move the embassy of the United States from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
 
“This will immediately begin the process of hiring architects, engineers and planners so that a new embassy, when completed, will be a magnificent tribute to peace,” Trump said.
 
This monumental declaration will change the way that the U.S. State Department identifies Jerusalem. For example, Americans who were born in the city should now be able to identify Israel as their country of birth on their U.S. passports rather than just “Jerusalem.” Furthermore, the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem should now report to the U.S. embassy, rather than directly to the State Department.
 
In reference to the peace process, Trump reiterated his call for a peaceful resolution of the conflict, “if agreed to by both sides…above all, our greatest hope is for peace; the universal yearning in every human soul.”
 
We echo Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s call for other nations to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to move their embassies there. 

B’nai B’rith Announces 2018 Sally R. Schneider Scholarship for New York City-Area Student

B’nai B’rith International will award the annual Sally R. Schneider Scholarship to a deserving Jewish female graduate student in the spring of 2018. Applications are now being accepted.
 
Sally Schneider, born in Brooklyn in 1919, was a voracious reader and a passionate supporter of Israel who felt strongly that women should be independent and educated. She and her husband, George, were longtime B’nai B’rith members. In 1998, after Sally’s death, the family set up an endowment fund in her name.
 
This scholarship, of approximately $1,000, will be awarded to an individual from among the applicants meeting the following qualifications: 
 
1)A deserving Jewish female graduate student; 2) In the metropolitan New York area; 3) Currently enrolled in and attending a graduate program (by Jan. 31, 2018) in a field benefiting humankind, including, but not limited to medicine, medical research, education, social work, psychology, chiropractic medicine, nursing or public health; and 4) The candidate should demonstrate an involvement or interest in Jewish culture.
 
To apply, please submit a statement (no more than two pages, typed and double-spaced, including home address and email) indicating your qualifications for this scholarship to Marna Schoen: mschoen@bnaibrith.org. For questions, please call (202) 857-6512.
 
Applications must be received by Feb. 1, 2018.