B’nai B’rith section Antwerp archives

Collection description

Collection

Country:: Belgium

Holding institution:: Jewish Museum of Belgium

Holding institution (official language):: Musée Juif de Belgique

Postal address:: Miniemenstraat 21 / Rue des Minimes 21, 1000 Bruxelles

Phone number:: +32 (0)2 512 19 63

Web address:: http://www.new.mjb-jmb.org

Email:: info@mjb-jmb.org

Reference number:: JM-Brussels-Fonds B’nai B’rith section d’Anvers

Title:: B’nai B’rith section Antwerp archives

Title (official language):: Fonds B’nai B’rith section d’Anvers

Creator/accumulator:: B’nai B’rith

Date(s):: 1953/1989

Extent:: 1 linear metre

Scope and content:: This fonds consists of correspondence, printed material, invitations, reports, minutes of meetings, texts of speeches, forms regarding membership applications and press clippings. The archives were mainly produced by Georges Mahler in his capacity as president of B’nai B’rith Antwerp.

Archival history:: Donated in 2006 by Georges Mahler, president of B’nai B’rith Antwerp.

Administrative/biographical history:: B’nai B’rith (“sons of the covenant”) is the best known Jewish humanitarian organisation fighting for human rights. It was founded in New York in 1843 by Henry Jones. A lodge in the German empire was established in 1882. Fifty years later, there were 132 lodges in Germany. The organisation expanded throughout Western, Central and Eastern Europe but also North Africa, the Ottoman empire, South Africa and Australia. Following the Second World War, the majority of European lodges were closed; those in the Arab countries shut down after 1948. From the early 1950s however B’nai B’rith reorganised itself. The Association Henry Jones was created in Brussels in 1952. B’nai B’rith Antwerp had its headquarters in Grétrystraat. The most resounding of its actions was the organisation of a conference for the release of the Jews of Syria, held on 26 November 1989 and presided over by Joseph Wybran. More recently, the European chapters and the chapters in the United Kingdom fused, resulting in the creation of B’nai B’rith Europe, based in Brussels.

B’nai B’rith is currently present in over 45 countries and has nearly 500,000 members. Its emblem is the menorah, the seven-branched candelabrum. The NGO is represented in the United Nations and the Council of Europe. Its principal tasks are to defend the values of Judaism, to raise the moral character of the Jews and teach them tzedakah, honour and patriotism, but also to help those who are suffering. The organisation is committed to the unity and security of the Jewish people, and aims to ensure its continuity, while fighting against antisemitism and intolerance in the world. In line with these objectives, B’nai B’rith notably builds schools and hospitals. It played a key role in the creation of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

B’nai B’rith created sister associations such as the Anti-Defamation League (ADL)(in 1913), an organisation in charge of the fight against racism and antisemitism. Among the campaigns of the ADL were notably the fight against apartheid in South Africa and the struggle against the discrimination against Black communities in the United States. B’nai B’rith also founded the Hillel association, present on university campuses. This foundation offers students a home to meet, organise lectures, eat kosher and live in a Jewish environment. In addition, a structure for adolescents between thirteen and eighteen was established, called BBYO. The current main objectives of B’nai B’rith are to revitalise the Jewish communities in Central and Eastern Europe, and to restore the associations decimated as a result of the Shoah. (B’nai B’rith de Bruxelles: http://www.ccojb.be/fr/presentation/conseil-d-administration/31)

Access points: locations:: Antwerp

Access points: persons/families:: Mahler, Georges

Subject terms:: Aid and relief; Aid and relief--Philanthropy and charity; Correspondence; Education; Education--Schools and universities; Newspaper clippings

Access, restrictions:: Access requires the authorisation of the archivist of the Jewish Museum of Belgium.

Yerusha Network member:: State Archives of Belgium

fullscreen: B’nai B’rith section Antwerp archives

Collection

Downloads

Full record

Image fragment

Formats and links

Formats