(Washington, D.C., Sept. 24, 2021)--B’nai B’rith leaders, led by President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin, have concluded meetings with dozens of world leaders on the sidelines of the opening of the United Nations General Assembly session.

Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, B’nai B’rith has continued its longtime leadership of Jewish communal engagement at the U.N., arranging direct discussions with heads of state and government, foreign ministers and other senior officials from countries including Greece, Bahrain, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Russia, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Austria, Colombia, Italy, Spain and Romania, among an array of others.

In the consultations, organized by B’nai B’rith’s Office of United Nations Affairs, among the issues discussed were Iran’s destabilizing policies, Arab-Israeli ties, U.N. treatment of Israel, transatlantic relations and global anti-Semitism. Countries were urged to decline participation in the U.N.’s commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the notorious Durban conference on racism—held on Sept. 22—or commended for doing so.

B’nai B’rith has been exceptionally active at the U.N. since the body’s very founding in 1945, holding official status at multiple U.N. arms since soon after then.

​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., Sept. 24, 2021)--B’nai B’rith condemns the resolution adopted on the occasion of the “high-level meeting” of the United Nations General Assembly commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action (DDPA). The DDPA, which was the official outcome document of the 2001 World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa—notorious for its scenes of shocking anti-Israel and anti-Semitic hate—singled out only Palestinians for mention as supposed victims of “racism,” by Israel.

The resolution predictably claimed that the DDPA offered “a comprehensive United Nations framework and solid foundation for combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance,” and reaffirmed commitment to its “full and effective implementation.”

After a year of advocacy by B’nai B’rith and others, we salute at least 35 countries that declined to participate in the Durban commemoration. They are Albania, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Moldova, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, the United States and Uruguay. Additionally, Spain’s foreign minister informed B’nai B’rith that he too instructed his diplomats not to attend.

Most of the countries announced their non-participation in advance, citing Durban’s anti-Jewish bigotry. This public disassociation by a substantial moral minority at the U.N. represents a meaningful victory against efforts to hijack the world body and the critical fight against racism—specifically racism against people of African descent—for the purposes of delegitimizing Israel by obscenely equating only it and Jews’ national liberation movement, Zionism, with racism.

Over recent weeks, B’nai B’rith has organized televised programming in partnership with the Jewish Broadcasting Service (JBS) on Durban, anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism featuring luminaries including onetime Soviet prisoner of conscience Natan Sharansky, New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, former United States national security advisor John Bolton, former Maldivian foreign minister Ahmed Shaheed, Canadian human rights icon Irwin Cotler, British Baroness Ruth Deech and French public intellectual Bernard-Henri Lévy.

The series—with a special message by B’nai B’rith President Charles O. Kaufman, and moderation by our CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin and Director of U.N. and Intercommunal Affairs David Michaels--culminated in an hourlong interview Sept. 22, at the conclusion of the U.N. Durban commemoration, with B’nai B’rith Honorary President Richard D. Heideman, who led the Jewish delegation at Durban, and his wife, International March of the Living President Phyllis G. Heideman.

B’nai B’rith mobilized the largest Jewish delegation at the 2001 conference and at the 2009 Durban Review Conference.

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., July 16, 2021)--B’nai B’rith International hosted a two-part virtual series—Hezbollah: Sowing Global Terror—in advance of the anniversaries of two deadly attacks on Jews.

The bombing of the AMIA building in Buenos Aires that killed 85 and wounded more than 300 took place July 18, 1994. Terrorists detonated a car bomb, killing and maiming those who worked at the AMIA (the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association) building and destroying the structure that housed so many Jewish Agencies in Buenos Aires. It was the deadliest terror attack ever in Argentina.

In 2012 on the same date, a suicide bomber blew up a passenger bus carrying Israeli tourists from Tel Aviv at the Burgas Airport in Bulgaria. The explosion killed the Bulgarian bus driver and five Israelis and injured 32 other Israelis.

Even though there is ample evidence that Hezbollah—a terrorist group that's a proxy of Iran—is behind both attacks, there is reluctance to tackle the terrorist organization head-on to this day.

In Part 1 of our series, “Commemorating AMIA,” we spoke with Luis Czyzewski, the father of a victim, about his search for justice. The interview, in Spanish with simultaneous English translation, was conducted by Adriana Camisar, B’nai B’rith’s Special Advisor on Latin American and U.N. Affairs from Argentina, with a special introduction by CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin. Czyzewski, whose 21-year-old daughter, Paola, was killed in the attack, has spent the last 27 years fighting for justice for his daughter and all of the victims of the attack. That unforgettable, tragic day was the first time Paola ever entered the AMIA building. She was visiting during a break from her law studies to assist her parents, who both worked at AMIA.

Czyzewski noted that there is no method, formula or book that says how to move forward after such a horrific loss. That the families of the victims have a burden they will carry throughout their lives. He said the many investigations into the bombing have revealed much about the attack, but that what we don’t have are convictions.

Camisar and Mariaschin commended Czyzewski for his courageous fight for justice.

In Part 2, “Shared Threads: AMIA, Burgas and Other Global Terror Attacks,” Mariaschin interviewed two experts about Iran’s proxy terror arm, Hezbollah, and its malign global reach. Guest Matthew Levitt is the Fromer-Wexler Fellow at The Washington Institute and director of its Jeanette and Eli Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence. Our 2nd guest was Gustavo Perednik, whose long resume includes writing two books dealing with the work of his friend, the late AMIA case prosecutor Alberto Nisman, “To Kill Without a Trace” and “To Die for Argentina.”

Perednik said that Nisman would have approved of combining AMIA and Burgas for commemoration, because he would have appreciated the connecting of the dots between multiple attacks and how the linked events expose Iran’s influence in terrorist attacks across the world—and by extension its guilt. Levitt said the Burgas attack didn’t happen in a vacuum and also observed that Hezbollah sees terror against innocent civilians as a legitimate path to achieving its objectives.
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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., July 11, 2021)—B’nai B’rith President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:

As co-sponsors of today’s NO FEAR: A Rally in Solidarity with the Jewish People, in Washington, D.C., we are proud to stand with all those who declare that it’s time to push back the rising tide of anti-Semitism, in the United States and around the world.

Anti-Semitism is everyone’s problem.

We echo the sentiments of today’s speakers. Meghan McCain noted, "We cannot be quiet and we cannot be silent and first and foremost, above all else, we cannot be scared."

The fight against anti-Semitism needs a wide, diverse coalition. Former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman told the crowd, "The fight against anti-Semitism is a bipartisan issue." And Hussein Aboubakr, Egyptian American activist, said, “anti-Semitism is anti-Semitism, whether from a Muslim, a Christian, an atheist or even a Jew."

Joshua Washington, executive director of the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel was adamant that a firm commitment to fighting anti-Semitism is vital. "If there’s one message I want to leave you with it’s do not concede. Do not concede a single inch of your humanity. Do not concede a single inch of your heritage."

Sienna Girgenti, B’nai B’rith’s program director for Strategic Engagement, along with Trey Meehan, chair of B’nai B’rith Connect-D.C., who represented us at the rally today.

B’nai B’rith’s None Shall Be Afraid initiative provides resources for identifying and combating the world’s oldest hatred. Learn more here: https://www.bnaibrith.org/none-shall-be-afraid.html.

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.

On August 31, B’nai B’rith Will Lead Communal Response to 20th Anniversary of Event Poisoned by Anti-Semitism

(Washington, D.C., May 3, 2021)—B’nai B’rith President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:

B’nai B’rith International, which brought the largest multinational Jewish delegations to the 2001 World Conference against Racism in Durban, South Africa, and its follow-up meetings in 2009, strongly commends the United States for having reportedly committed not to take part in a United Nations summit marking the event’s 20th anniversary in September. The 2001 conference was poisoned by manifestations of virulent anti-Zionism and open anti-Semitism.

B’nai B’rith, which has led Jewish engagement at the U.N. since the world body’s founding in 1945, will spearhead the community’s response to the forthcoming summit with a major event on August 31.

Over the past year, B’nai B’rith—which also organized a high-level event in New York upon Durban’s 10th anniversary in 2011—has worked to ensure continued awareness of Durban’s toxic legacy by speaking publicly on the topic at U.N. forums, publishing relevant commentary and privately reminding ambassadors from around the world that the fight against racism must not be undercut by crass politicization and outright bigotry.

The Durban Declaration and Programme of Action singled out only one country—the world’s only Jewish state and the Middle East’s only pluralistic democracy, Israel—for obscene implied characterization as racist. The 2001 conference’s NGO Forum went even further, defaming Israel alone as a “racist apartheid state”—and urging discrimination against those engaging with it—while Jewish participants were subjected to shocking physical and verbal abuse. As a result, B’nai B’rith led a Jewish walkout at Durban—joined ultimately by key democratic countries. The subsequent 2009 Durban Review Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, was nonetheless addressed by Holocaust-denying Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

B’nai B’rith salutes the U.S. administration for taking a principled decision, like its predecessors, to deny legitimacy to a U.N. framework that purports to fight prejudice but is fundamentally marred by it.

We urge all countries of goodwill to do similarly—and we will continue to insist that all forms of hate, including those targeting Jews, not be given a platform by foremost international institutions.

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., Dec. 10, 2020)— B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement: 

The agreement to normalize relations between Israel and Morocco announced today is another huge breakthrough in the effort to achieve peace in the Middle East.
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We praise the leaders of Israel and Morocco for taking this important step forward together, and the United States for brokering the historic deal. 

The agreement establishes diplomatic relations, promotes economic cooperation and allows air travel to and from Israel from Morocco, among other important provisions, and will not only improve Israel and Morocco’s bi-lateral relationship, but the lives of their citizens as well. The storied history of the Moroccan Jewish community adds a special element to today’s announcement. 

With this agreement following in the footsteps of those made between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan, 2020 has been a very positive year for advancing peace and stability in the region. 

We look forward to the future and further agreements that will continue to promote peace and coexistence. 

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., Dec. 2, 2020)—B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:

We strongly condemn the five anti-Israel resolutions passed today by the United Nations General Assembly, while we are encouraged at the growing number of countries willing to stand up against anti-Israel entities that waste critical resources and hamper the U.N.'s legitimacy.

These resolutions are a fixture of the 43-year-old “International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People” – the only U.N. celebration of solidarity with one specific group of people.

The General Assembly resolutions passed today fund the permanent propaganda bodies housed within the U.N. system. The Committee on the Exercise on the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) vote count was 91 in favor, 17 against and 54 abstentions. The Division of Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat (DPR) resolution had a vote count of 82 in favor, 25 against and 53 abstentions.

We are particularly disappointed with Argentina and Chile for their ongoing support of CEIRPP.

We sincerely commend the growing number of countries willing to vote against these two anti-Israel U.N. bureaucracies. We also specifically commend the following countries that abstained in 2019 on CEIRPP and this year voted “no” on supporting this institution: Austria, Bulgaria, Germany and Papua New Guinea.

Similarly, on the DPR resolution, we appreciate the following countries that abstained in 2019 but voted “no” this year: Slovenia, Papua New Guinea and Switzerland.

And we reserve our strongest appreciation for Australia, Canada, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and the United States for voting with Israel against all resolutions today.

The General Assembly votes are preceded each year by speeches demonizing and delegitimizing Israel, the only Jewish state in the world. These sessions do not advance the cause of truth or peace. While we urge the U.N. to stop this annual hate-fest, we are reassured that more and more nations are seeing through the charade.

B’nai B’rith has had a continued presence at the United Nations since its founding and continues to work to ensure the protection of human rights and the promotion of peace and coexistence. B'nai B'rith and AJIRI-BBI are making concerted efforts to speak out against the continued existence of these committees and to urge U.N. member states to vote against them.

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.

Dear friends,

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing us all to rethink how we interact with the world around us.

B’nai B’rith International takes pride in being a people-first organization and putting our core values at the center of every decision we make. Our top priority is the safety of our team members and the communities we serve. Though our staff around the world has transitioned to teleworking, we are still committed to working with our partners at the local, national and international levels during these challenging and uncertain times.

With our long history of advocating for seniors, we are paying particular attention to the impact of the coronavirus on older people. Our staff at our Center for Senior Services is working closely with all of our non-sectarian housing buildings to ensure safe practices are implemented and to mitigate the impact of this forced social isolation. 

Social distancing doesn’t apply to the internet, so we will be enhancing our digital and virtual offerings in the near term. Please visit our website and social media platforms for information in the coming weeks. Our important work won’t stop.

​We look forward to staying connected and seeing you soon. Wishing you good health…