OUR HISTORY
A brief history of B’nai B’rith NSW
“B’nai Brith has taken upon itself the mission of uniting persons of the Jewish faith in the work of promoting their highest interest and those of humanity; of developing and elevating the mental and moral character of the people of our faith; of inculcating the purest principles of philanthropy, honour and patriotism; of supporting science and art; alleviating the wants of the poor and needy; visiting and caring for the sick; coming to the rescue of victims of persecution; providing for, protecting and assisting the aged, the widow and orphan on the broadest principles of humanity.”
–Preamble to the B’nai B’rith Constitution circa 1843
Since 1843, the global B’nai B’rith organisation has played a vital role, striving to combat antisemitism and make the world a safer and more tolerant place. B’nai B’rith International has accredited NGO status at the United Nations in both New York and Geneva and maintains representative offices in Jerusalem through the B’nai B’rith World Centre, and in Brussels to deal with issues relating to the European Union.
Here in NSW, we have been engaging with our community since the institution of the first Lodge in Sydney in 1944. The Sydney Lodge was founded by German and Austrian refugees and immigrants fleeing Europe and the Holocaust, seeking to recreate the social and intellectual networks they had lost during the war years.
In NSW, B’nai B’rith is the birthplace of significant charitable and social justice projects and educational programs. These include the Hillel Foundation (now the Shalom Institute), B’nai B’rith Retirement Villages, Courage to Care, Jewish Changemakers Awards, and the Anti-Defamation Commission.
We have a strong history, but we are also focused on the future –with a dedication to being a progressive and modern organisation that responds to issues and challenges facing Australians in the 21st Century. Recent initiatives include the development of the B’nai B’rith Youth Organisation (BBYO), Womanpower and the growth of “Moving Forward Together” which seeks to combat racism.
B’nai B’rith NSW moved to our current premises at the University of NSW in 2016.
B’nai B’rith ANZ remains a vibrant, dynamic and active organisation in three regions across NSW, Victoria and New Zealand.
OUR HISTORY
B'NAI BRITH ORIGINS
“B’nai Brith has taken upon itself the mission of uniting persons of the Jewish faith in the work of promoting their highest interest and those of humanity; of developing and elevating the mental and moral character of the people of our faith; of inculcating the purest principles of philanthropy, honour and patriotism; of supporting science and art; alleviating the wants of the poor and needy; visiting and caring for the sick; coming to the rescue of victims of persecution; providing for, protecting and assisting the aged, the widow and orphan on the broadest principles of humanity.”
– Preamble to the B’nai Brith Constitution circa 1843
B’nai B’rith is a not for profit organization involved in supporting human rights and anti-discrimination, promoting multiculturalism and inter-religious understanding and social justice activities. Today, the original motto of Benevolence, Friendship and Harmony has been modernised to Jewish Unity, Diversity & Continuity, but the basic principles of B’nai B’rith remain.
Advocacy is still central to the tenets of B’nai B’rith. A submission was made to the Foreign Affairs Defence and Trade Committee, Department of the Senate, into the Inquiry of partial Suspension of the Sanctions against Iran. B’nai B’rith supported the Executive Council of the Australian Jewry to fight against changes to Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.
BBANZ has co -signed a statement with the Executive Council of Australian Jewry https://us10.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=19290c7e4e8990f8e5c013408&id=9efffedb7c
calling upon the Australian Government to give formal recognition to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to announce that the Australian Embassy currently located in Tel Aviv will in due course be relocated to Jerusalem.
B’nai B’rith has also been active in advocating for the reform of the treatment of Asylum Seekers.
At the grass roots level, B’nai B’rith delivers community welfare services such as youth and young adults programs, senior citizens’ housing and financial support for educational services. These projects reach out into the wider community for the benefit of all Australians and New Zealanders. Via the Israel Commission B’nai B’rith provides financial assistance to worthy organizations in the State of Israel.
B’nai B’rith International has accredited NGO status at the United Nations in both New York and Geneva, and maintains representative offices in Jerusalem through the B’nai B’rith World Centre, and in Brussels to deal with issues relating to the European Union. Learn more at www.bnaibrith.org.
B’nai B’rith is organized into international districts. At the local level The Board of Governors presides over Australia and New Zealand. Each state has a regional president who is head of the council which oversees the activities of the units.
Our mission is:
- to unite people of the Jewish faith in the work of promoting their highest interests and those of humanity;
- to develop and elevate the mental and moral character of the people of our faith;
- to inculcate the purest principles of philanthropy, honour and patriotism;
- to support science and art;
- to visit and attend the sick;
- to come to the rescue of victims of persecution, provide for, protect and assist the aged and the disadvantaged in our community on the broadest principles of humanity; and to pledge our support for the state of Israel.
