(Washington, D.C., Nov. 19, 2020)--B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:

We commend the significant move today by the White House to label the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS) as anti-Semitic. The decision, announced from Israel by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, will deny U.S. government funds to any group that boycotts the State of Israel.

The goal of BDS, as stated by some of its founders, is the elimination of the Jewish state. Pompeo’s confirmation that "anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism" is an important step forward in protecting Jews and Israel.

In another strong action today demonstrating the U.S. commitment to Israel, the administration also confirmed that products made in the West Bank can carry a “made in Israel” label, as opposed to the “made in the West Bank” label they now carry. The made in the West Bank label has often been used as a basis for boycotting Israeli products.

These moves continue to reaffirm the long-standing alliance between the United States and Israel.

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., Nov. 16, 2020)--Global anti-Semitism, the impact of the U.S. elections on the Jewish community and changes in the Middle East peace landscape were the featured topics of B'nai B'rith International’s just-concluded annual Leadership Forum. The two-day event was held virtually this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

​Despite being unable to shake hands and connect with friends in person, the Leadership Forum offered in-depth conversations with important guests, including Israel’s Ambassador to the United States Ron Dermer, who closed out the Forum in an off-the-record discussion that included the changing peace landscape in the region.

President Charles O. Kaufman kicked things off by providing an overview of B’nai B’rith’s work around the world. Kaufman spoke about public policy and the United Nations, work in Israel, advocacy on behalf of seniors and disaster and emergency relief efforts, including the distribution of supplies in various countries affected by COVID-19, from the U.S., Panama and Uruguay to Italy.

B'nai B'rith International CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin hosted an informative conversation on global anti-Semitism with Ellie Cohanim, U.S. State Department deputy special envoy to monitor and combat anti-Semitism, and Katharina Von Schnurbein, the European Commission coordinator on combating anti-Semitism.

Von Schnurbein spoke of the European Commission's efforts to combat anti-Semitism online. She emphasized the importance of "Pause: Take Care Before You Share," a campaign started by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization to stop the spread of misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic. There has been no shortage of offensive and untrue conspiracy theories regarding Jews' and Israel's supposed role in spreading and creating the novel coronavirus. Von Schnurbein hopes A "Pause" strategy will help put an end to the falsehoods. "We help debunk conspiracy myths," she said. "We have seen, like in the terrorist attacks in Halle, the road from conspiracy myths to hate crimes on the street is very short."

Similarly, Cohanim commented on the unfortunate relationship between the online world and anti-Semitism. “The internet, sadly, has become a medium which allows millions and millions of people to be on the receiving end of these lies," she said.

In the day's second panel discussion, moderated by Eric Fusfield, B'nai B'rith International director of legislative affairs and deputy director of the Center for Human Rights and Public Policy, Lisa Lerer of The New York Times and Josh Kraushaar of the National Journal analyzed the outcomes of the 2020 U.S. elections and what changes Jews, Americans and those abroad, could expect to see from the new administration with regard to Israel.

Lerer, a political reporter, said that all indicators point to President-Elect Joe Biden pushing for a respectful relationship with Israel. "He comes from an older school of politics that see a relationship with Israel as a key part of foreign policy," she said.

Addressing a question about the need for bipartisan support for Israel, Kraushaar said that in what are now increasingly “tribal times,” the biggest movement is when someone in one party speaks out against someone in the same party who is not behaving in a responsible way.

Day two began with a spirited, extraordinary conversation hosted by B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem Director Alan Schneider with guest Bassem Eid, a Jerusalem-based political analyst, human rights pioneer and expert commentator on Arab and Palestinian affairs. He offered great insight into missed and possible opportunities that exist between Israel and the Palestinians.

"One of the major tragedies of the Palestinian people is their own leadership," Eid said. "We have such old leadership who only like to talk about the past, who like only to mention history. They are not looking to the future of their people and their children."

“Homeland is the place where you can find dignity, justice and freedoms,” he continued. “This is the real homeland… Arab leaders and even Arab nations are starting to realize slowly, the influence of the State of Israel in the region.”

B’nai B’rith policy specialists discussed their respective areas of expertise, with Associate Director of the Center for Senior Services Janel Doughten describing the importance of collaboration among the different housing staffs during combined training sessions. "That is one of the great things about the training sessions,” she said.  “They can come together and share best practice, learning from each other.”

Evan Carmen, legislative director for aging policy, noted the diverse issues the seniors team tackles on Capitol Hill to help older adults, including affordable housing, Social Security, Medicare and nutrition. At the end of the day, it’s all about getting as much funding for those programs as possible, he said.

Director of Latin American Affairs Eduardo Kohn spoke about the perils Latin America will continue to face as the coronavirus pandemic rages in the region. “The pandemic has created a serious drama,” Kohn said. “The near future for Latin America is an increasing one of poverty and with that an increase of social unrest.”

Eric Fusfield, joining again on day two, stressed the need for the U.N. to change its attitude toward Israel. “Change is in order when it comes to the ritual condemnation of Israel at the United Nations,” he said. “It’s really time for the U.N. to exercise some necessary leadership.”

Vice President of Programming Rhonda Love spoke about B’nai B’rith’s long commitment to helping others and, in particular, the victims of natural disasters.  “Our strength has really been to look at what we call the vulnerable population,” she said. “It’s all about the people.”

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., Oct. 22, 2020)—B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:  

As the voting at the World Zionist Congress gets underway, we reaffirm our focus on the sovereignty and security of Israel. In the spirit of the unity for the Jewish people that we seek, B’nai B’rith supports the coalition agreement that has been announced at the World Zionist Congress.

We are a long-time neutral, non-partisan party at the World Zionist Organization. We send our delegates not to deal with partisan issues, but to secure a Jewish homeland. We want to make sure there is a place in the world for every Jew in the Diaspora and in our eternal and biblical homeland. Our position is to work for the unity of the parties, not to choose sides or leverage private agenda issues.  

B’nai B’rith International speaks for itself and has done so since our founding in 1843 and since we established a presence in Israel in 1888. That was nine years before Theodor Herzl convened the first Zionist Congress in Basel. B’nai B’rith established the “Midrash Abarbanel,” Israel’s first permanent public library. Our commitment, independence and overarching focus live through such early B’nai B’rith leaders and Zionist pioneers as Eliezer Ben-Yehuda, the father of the modern Hebrew language. 

It is not about partisanship or divisiveness. Neutrality is personal for us. We stand for unity in Israel.

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., Aug. 13, 2020)--B’nai B’rith International President Charles O. Kaufman and CEO Daniel S. Mariaschin have issued the following statement:  
 
We strongly hail a breakthrough agreement that will normalize ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. 
 
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Emirati Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed today signed what are now called the Abraham Accords, solidifying normalized relations between their two nations. A diplomatic exchange of ambassadors will take place soon.
 
We commend the White House for its role in helping to bring this agreement about.
 
These accords will now join the peace agreements between Israel and Egypt and Israel and Jordan as stabilizing influences in the region and send a strong message to those who seek to promote chaos that their efforts will not succeed.
 
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.

(Jerusalem, June 23, 2020)--The B'nai B'rith World Center and the Committee to Recognize the Heroism of Jewish Rescuers During the Holocaust announced that they will bestow their joint Jewish Rescuers Citation on 16 nominees, all but two posthumously.  
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Alan Schneider, director of the B’nai B’rith World Center, said, “B’nai B’rith is honored to bring to light the phenomena of Jewish rescue and the instructive stories of thousands of Jews who risked their lives to save their endangered brethren throughout Europe. Many who could have tried to flee preferred to stay and rescue others; some paid for it with their lives. With great heroism, Jews in every country in occupied Europe employed subterfuge, forgery, smuggling, concealment and other methods to ensure that Jews survived the Holocaust, or assisted them in escaping to a safe heaven, and in doing so foiled the Nazi goal of total genocide against the Jews. They are role models of Jewish solidarity and courage.” 

Recipients of the citation are:

1. Fred Șaraga (1891-1961) – A leader of the Jewish community of Romania who led rescue missions to Transnistria,, negotiating the release of some 2,000 orphans from life-threatening conditions.
2. Yitzhak Artzi (1920-2003) – - A leader of the Zionist Federation in Romania who participated with Fred Saraga in a mission to Transnistria and the rescue of Jewish children.
3. Beate Berger (1886-1940) – Founder of a boarding school for orphans and abandoned children in Germany. Recognized the danger posed by the Nazi regime and brought all 300 children at the boarding school to pre-state Israel.
4. Vladka Meed (1921-2012) – Arranged hiding places for Jews who escaped from the ghetto in Poland, mostly women and children, and smuggled weapons and documents.
5. Rabbi Itzack Cassuto – Rabbi in Larisa, Greece. Warned his community to escape the city. Some 950 Jews escaped and 255 Jews were arrested. He remained but refused to compile a list of members of the community for the Germans.
6. Jacob Gutfrajnd (1909–1991) – Established the first Jewish partisans group in Brussels, targeting Jewish collaborators and informers and destroying Jewish community records to prevent their discovery and deportation.
7. Sara Gutfrajnd (1909-1993) – A member of Committee for the Defense of Jews (CDJ) in Belgium. She smuggled weapons, placed Jewish children in monasteries and Christian homes and furnished false documents, money and food.
8. David Liwer (1903-1968) – Leader of a resistance group in Bedzin, Poland. Hid Jews in his home and helped many escape from the ghetto. Provided passports from Latin American countries to members of the Zionist movements that aided in their rescue. Fled with his family to Budapest, where he became active in the Zionist movement.    
9. Yosef Givon (1923-1968) – Smuggled food and medications to Jews from a hospital storeroom where he worked and led Jews incarcerated in the hospital to safety.
10. Shulamit Roitman Einhorn (1924-2020) –Member of the Jewish Resistance in France. Aided families in hiding and provided them with falsified documents.
11. Leon Roitman (1925-1993) – Member of the "Jewish Army." Only 16 years old, he rescued children detained in the camps and transported Jews to the south of France. Recruited by Dr. Eitan Guinat, he worked in the lab to falsify documents and recruited others to work there.
12. Jack Roitman (1922-1988) – Member of the Jewish Resistance and Jewish Army in France. Transported Jews across the border to Spain.
13. Arthur Einhorn (1923- ) – Member of the Youth Zionist Movement of the Jewish Resistance in France. Smuggled Jews across the border to Spain, falsifiedand distributed documents and helped locate hiding places for Jews in villages in the area. Lives in Washington D.C.,.
14. Erna Einhorn (1929-2007) – Sister of Shulamit and Arthur Einhorn, she was a member of the Jewish Resistance in France. Einhorn falsified and issued documents and provided food to families in hiding.
15. Oscar Neuman (1894-1981) – Leader of the Zionist Movement in Slovakia. Founded the "Working Group" that disseminated information about the massacre of Jews in death camps; established three work camps where 4,000 Jews were employed, saving them from deportation to death camps; bribed German officers and clerks to prevent deportations; and aided the escape of 12,000 Jews to Hungary.
16. Hetty Verolme (1930 - ) – At age 14, served as a "little mother" for children in Bergen Belsen. She stole food and hid it in her coat, risking her life to help the children survive until liberation. Lives in Perth, Australia.

The Jewish Rescuers Citation was established in 2011 in an effort to help correct the generally held misconception that Jews failed to come to the aid of fellow Jews during the Holocaust. To date, 330 heroes have been honored for their rescue activities in Germany, France, Hungary, Greece, Slovakia, Yugoslavia, Russia, Lithuania, Poland, Holland, Italy, Morocco, Romania, Belgium, Ukraine, Latvia and Austria.

The B'nai B'rith World Center and  the Committee to Recognize the Heroism of Jewish Rescuers During the Holocaust published a book on Jews rescuing Jews which you can find here. Additional information published by Yad Vashem is available on Yad Vashem website Hebrew and English.

For more information please contact: Alan Schneider, Director, B'nai B'rith World Center aschneider@bnaibrith.org 
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., June 16, 2020)-- B’nai B’rith representatives delivered two statements to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Tuesday, calling out the hypocrisy and anti-Israel bias of standing agenda Item 7, which is devoted exclusively to demonizing Israel. No other UN agenda item is exclusively devoted to one country. 
 
B’nai B’rith representative Nurit Braun delivered a statement attacking the body’s unprecedented move of creating a blacklist of companies doing business with Israelis. View a video of her remarks or read a transcript here.
 
“Threats against doing business with Israel are not new, and boycotts against ‘Jewish-owned’ businesses go back even further,” Braun said. “To those who vote in favor of economic warfare against the Jewish state, we say: We are not intimidated and we will not be defeated. Israel will continue to thrive economically, culturally and as a humane, diverse and democratic state.”
 
B’nai B’rith representative Sonia Elkrief’s statement emphasized that, especially in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, it is unconscionable that the UNHRC continues to waste its time singling out Israel for unjust criticism instead of calling out actual human rights violators. Watch a video of her remarks or view a transcript of her statement here.
 
“As the world is dealing with true emergency conditions, all of us are forced to sit through yet another of these sessions dedicated solely to bashing the only democracy in the Middle East, Israel,” Elkrief said.  “Come natural disasters, wars and pandemics, Item 7 is always with us, at each and every regular session. This council never seems to want to miss an opportunity to obsessively attack the nation-state of the Jewish people.”
 
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
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