Bnai Brith BOL2021 Web

B.H.
B’nai B’rith Europe
EDITION 2021-2022
BOOK OF LODGES
The force of the European Lodges
1 Introduction
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
Message from the President 02

A few words on B’nai B’rith 04
About B’nai B’rith Europe 04
Members of the Executive Committee 06
Map of B’nai B’rith Europe 08
List of B’nai B’rith Europe Lodges 09
LODGES IN FOCUS11
BBE PROJECTS AND EVENTS 63

BBE Talks 64
NOA68
European Days of Jewish Culture 70
Events with partners 71
LODGES EVENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS77
BBE LEADERS 85
Introduction 2
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Sisters and Brothers I would like to
Dear Friends of B’nai B’rith, warmly thank
all the Presi-
I am pleased to present to you the 5782
dents of the
edition of the Book of Lodges of B’nai
Lodges of B’nai
B’rith Europe.
B’rith Europe
“He who falls and rises again is much who have con-
stronger than he who has never fallen” is tributed to the
the lesson of one of the masters of Jewish content of this
thought, Rabbi Nahman, and it is with this edition of the Book of Lodges.
teaching that we have gone through these
I would also like to thank Iris-Gisela Weiss-
two years of health crisis together.
buch and Hanna Kalmenson for making
It is together that we have pursued our this fourth edition of the “Book of Lodges
missions and our fights against antisemi- 5782” possible.
tism, for the promotion of European Jew-
Dear Sisters and Brothers, dear friends of
ish culture and memory, for the defense
B’nai B’rith, let us gather around the Me-
of our values and our support towards the
norah that once stood in the Temple of
State of Israel.
Jerusalem and is today the symbol of the
The members of the Executive Commit- State of Israel.
tee, as well as myself, would like to thank
This Menorah is made up of seven inter-
the European Lodges who throughout the
connected equal branches, to remind us
year have organized events, conferences,
that we must stand together, united and
supported the members of the Jewish
in solidarity to support the State of Israel
communities and initiated actions in the
and oppose those who spread hatred, so
spirit of the values of B’nai B’rith: WEL-
that dialogue and thought take the place
FARE - FRATERNAL LOVE - HARMONY.
of use of violence, so that knowledge and
Our fourth edition of the “Book of Lodges education overcome intolerance.
5782” will contribute, as in the previous
Chag Sameach,
editions, to strengthen the links between
Fraternally,
the sisters and brothers of the Lodges of
B’nai B’rith Europe and will ensure the
promotion of our actions which are a wit-
ness to the strength, the vitality and the SERGE DAHAN
diversity of our movement. President of B′nai B′rith Europe
3 Introduction
Chers Sœurs et Frères,

Chers Amis du B’nai B’rith,
Je suis heureux de vous présenter l’édition

rope qui ont contribué au contenu de cette
5782 du Book des Loges du B’nai B’rith Eu-
édition du Book des Loges.
rope.
Je tiens aussi à remercier Iris-Gisela Weiss-
« Celui qui tombe et se relève est beaucoup
buch et Hanna Kalmenson pour avoir rendu
plus fort que celui qui n’est jamais tombé »
possible cette quatrième édition du “Livre
c’est la leçon d’un des maîtres de la pensée
des Loges 5782”.
juive, Rabbi Nahman, et c’est imprégné de
cet enseignement que nous avons traversé Chers Sœurs et Frères, chers amis du B’nai
ensemble ces deux années de crise sanitaire. B’rith, rassemblons-nous autour de la Meno-
ra qui se tenait autrefois dans le Temple de
C’est ensemble que nous avons poursuivi
Jérusalem et qui est aujourd’hui le symbole
nos missions et nos combats contre l’an-
de l’Etat d’Israël.
tisémitisme, pour la promotion de la culture
et de la mémoire juive européenne, pour la Cette Menorah est composée de sept branch-
défense de nos valeurs et notre soutien à es égales interconnectées pour nous rappel-
l’Etat d’Israël. er que nous devons nous tenir ensemble,
unis et solidaires pour soutenir l’État d’Is-
Les Membres du Comité Exécutif, ainsi que
raël et nous opposer à ceux qui répandent
moi-même tenons à remercier les Loges Eu-
la haine afin que le dialogue et la pensée
ropéennes qui tout au long de l’année ont
remplacent l’usage de la violence, afin que
organisé des événements, des conférences,
la connaissance et l’éducation surmontent
soutenu les membres des communautés
l’intolérance.
juives et initié des actions dans l’esprit des
valeurs du B’nai B’rith : BIENVEILLANCE - Hag Sameah,
AMOUR FRATERNEL - HARMONIE. Fraternellement,
Notre quatrième édition du “Livre des Loges

5782” contribuera comme pour les précé-
dentes éditions à renforcer les liens entre les
sœurs et frères des Loges du B’nai B’rith Eu- SERGE DAHAN
rope et assurera la promotion de nos actions Président du B′nai B′rith Europe
qui sont témoins de la force, de la vitalité et
de la diversité de notre mouvement.
Je veux ici remercier chaleureusement tous

les Présidents des Loges du B’nai B’rith Eu-
Introduction 4
A FEW WORDS ON B’NAI B’RITH
History Mission
In 1843, Henry Jones and 11 other Ger- B’nai B’rith is dedicated to improving the
man-Jewish immigrants gathered in Sin- quality of life for people around the globe.
sheimer’s Café on New York’s Lower East It is a national and global leader in advanc-
Side to confront what Isaac Rosenbourg, ing human rights; Israel advocacy; ensuring
one of B’nai B’rith’s founders, called “the access to safe and affordable housing for
deplorable condition of Jews in this, our low-income seniors and advocacy on vital
newly adopted country.” Thus, B’nai B’rith issues concerning seniors and their families;
(children of the covenant) was born. diversity education; improving communi-
ties and helping communities in crisis.
The original members’ first concrete ac-
tion was creating an insurance policy that As we are celebrating our 178th anniver-
awarded members’ widows $30 toward fu- sary, B’nai B’rith continues to play a vital
neral expenses, and a stipend of one dol- role around the world. Making the world a
lar a week for the rest of their lives. Each safer, more tolerant and better place is the
child would also receive a stipend and, mission that still drives our organization.
for male children, assurance he would be
taught a trade. It is from this basis of hu-
manitarian aid and service that a system
Pillars of Our Work
of fraternal lodges and chapters grew in 9 Human Rights and Public Policy
the United States and, eventually, around 9 Supporting and Defending Israel
the world. 9 Senior Advocacy and Housing
9 Helping Communities
ABOUT B’NAI B’RITH EUROPE

B’nai B’rith Europe, as part of the world- «Benevolence, Brotherly & Sisterly Love
wide Jewish organization B’nai B’rith and Harmony».
International is dedicated to combating
B’nai B’rith Europe is composed by the Eu-
anti-Semitism as well as promoting tol-
ropean Lodges and aims at the following
erance and intergroup understanding
goals:
around the globe according to its motto
5 Introduction
9 To fight racism, xenophobia and anti- - In contact with the key officials, such
semitism as Chief Office of the Commissioner for
9 To strengthen the knowledge abou Human Rights, the Presidents of For-
Jewish presence through culture an eign affairs and Political affairs, ECRI
heritage (European Commission against Rac-
9 To encourage and train young Jewish ism and Intolerance) and the Commis-
adults for leadership in the Jewish com sioner for Human Rights
munities - Taking part in all the actions undertak-
9 To support the State of Israel en within the Conference of INGOs
9 To help the needy - Contributing to the drafting of the
Code of Conduct at the request of GRE-
B’nai B’rith Europe is actively represented
CO (Study Group against Corruption)
in 25 European countries.
and involved in the new drafting of the
B’nai B’rith Europe achieves all these Rules of Procedure of the Conference
through three levels of activities, out of
which, our main ones are:
Coordinating events
EU Advocacy 9 Series of conferences organized all
around Europe
9 Brussels office:
9
Events in partnership with other
− Working closely with the Europea
Jewish organizations (International
Commission (active participation in
Women’s Day, youth events, memory
Round tables and at High level working
trips, Holocaust remembrance com-
groups on antisemitism, regular consul-
memorations)
tations)
9 Ceremony of the Jewish Rescuers Ci
− Launching projects with the EU Com tation in coordination with B’nai B’rith
mission World Center-Jerusalem
− Regular participation in conferences
and events organized with and by the Promotion of the
European Parliament
European Lodges
− Working closely with B’nai B’rith Inter
9 The Book of Lodges
national lobbyists
9 B’nai B’rith Europe website
− Briefings with the Ambassador of the 9 B’nai B’rith Europe newsletter
Mission to the EU and NATO
9
Permanent representatives in Stras-
bourg:
Introduction 6
MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE

COMMITTEE
Serge Dahan Daniel Citone

President Mentor
Solomon Bali Valerie Achache Andre Ouazana

Vice President Secretary General Treasurer
Monica Barzilay Bjork Gunnar Francine Coen Felicia Waldman

Elected, Elected, Elected, Elected,
Switzerland Denmark France Romania
7 Introduction
Eric Engelmayer Tomas Kraus Michael Naor

Appointed, Appointed, Appointed, Germany
Luxembourg Czech Republic
Philippe Meyer Stephane Teicher

President of BBI Representative
National Structure,
B’nai B’rith France
Introduction 8
MAP OF B’NAI B’RITH EUROPE
Countries with Lodges

9 Introduction
LIST OF B'NAI B'RITH EUROPE LODGES
9 Austria, Wien : Zwi Perez Chajes 9 Switzerland, Geneva : Henry Dunant

9 Belgium, Brussels : Henry Jones 9 Switzerland, Lausanne : Edmond Fleg
9 Belgium, Antwerpen : Mala Zimetbaum 9 Switzerland, Zürich : Augustin Keller
9 Bulgaria, Sofia : Carmel 9 Switzerland, Zürich : Evi and Sigi Feigel
9 Croatia, Zagreb : Gavro Schwarz 9 The Netherlands, Amsterdam : Hillel
9 Czech Republic, Prague : Renaissance 9 The Netherlands, Rotterdam : Hollandia
9 Denmark, Copenhagen : Denmark 9 Ukraine, Kyiv : Kyiv
9 Germany, Berlin : Raoul Wallenberg 9 Ukraine, Lwow : Leopolis
9 Germany, Düsseldorf : Franz Rosenzweig
9 France
9 Germany, Frankfurt : Frankfurt- Aix en Provence : Jules Isaac
Schönstädt Antibes : René Cassin
9 Germany, Köln : Rheinland Antibes : Schlomo Altun
9 Germany, München : Menorah/Hebraica Avignon : Emeth Avignon
9 Greece, Gerakas : Philon Bordeaux : Michel de Montaigne
Colmar : Scheurer Kestner
9 Hungary, Budapest : Budapest
Cannes : Chalom Cannes
9 Italy, Livorno : Isidoro Kahn
Deauville : Deauville-Jerusalem
9 Italy, Milan : Nathan E Anna Cassuto Enghien les Bains : Kinereth
9 Italy, Rome: Elia Benamozegh Grenoble : Mordehai
9 Italy, Rome: Stefano Gaj Tache Le Raincy : Isaac Bashevis Singer
9 Luxembourg, Luxembourg city : Lille : Cha’areh Chalom
Luxembourg Lyon : Edwin Guggenheim-Marc Aron
Lyon : Joseph Reich
9 Norway, Oslo : Norgelosjen
Lyon : Lehman-Rabin
9 Poland, Warsaw : Polin
Lyon : Victor Basch
9 Romania, Bucharest : Moses Rosen Marseille : Emile Zola
9 Russia, St. Petersbourg : Sons Of The Marseille : Louis Kahn - Eyran Picard
Covenant Marseille : Harmonie
9 Serbia, Belgrade : B’nei B’rit Loge Serbie Marseille : Joseph Kessel
676 Metz : Armand Kraemer
Metz : Elie Bloch
9 Slovakia, Kosice : Concordia
Montpellier : Rambam Maimonide
9 Slovakia, Bratislava : Tolerancia
Mulhouse : Paul Jacob
9 Spain, Barcelona : Nahmanides Nancy : Isaac Beer Jerusalem
9 Sweden, Malmö : Malmö Neuilly sur Seine : Anne Frank
Introduction 10
Neuilly sur Seine: Haïm Nahman Bialik Toulon : Levinas

Nice : Côte d’Azur Toulouse : Maimonide
Nice : Golda Meir Villeurbanne : Victor Basch
Nice : Mazal Tov Versailles : Versailles
Nice : Moshe Dayan 9 United Kingdom
Nice : Theodor Herzl Cheshire / South Manchester - B.B.
Perpignan : Menahem Ben Salomon Cheshire
Paris : David Ben Gourion Edgware and District - Edgware
Paris : Shalom Aleikhem Women’s Lodge
Paris : Daniel Pearl Hertfordshire - B. B. Radlett
Paris : France Zadoc Khan North London - Abraham Lewin Lodge
Paris : George Gerschwin North West London - First Lodge of
Paris : Hanouka England
Paris : Hillel North West London - First Unity Lodge
Paris : Jacob Kaplan North West London - Finchley and
Paris : Léon Blum Judaisme Pluriel Hendon Lodge
Paris : Or ve Shalom North West London - Raoul Wallenberg
Paris : Sigmund Freud Lodge
Paris : Tsedek North West London - Shlomo Argov
Paris : Simone Veil Unity Lodge
Rueil Malmaison : Kadima Maimonide Pinner / North Harrow - Yad B’Yad Lodge
Saint-Maur : Ben Yehouda Stanmore and District - Yitchak Rabin
Saint Mandé : Leon Poliakov Lodge
Strasbourg : Emmanuel Levinas South London - Thames Lodge
Strasbourg : René Hirschler Yorkshire - Leeds Unity Lodge
Thiais : Yonathan Netahnyahou
LODGES IN FOCUS
*based on the declaration of BBE Presidents
Lodges in Focus 12
MALA ZIMETBAUM
Antwerpen,
Belgium
History The main aims of the enlightened founding

father Henry Jones - fraternity, benevolence
B’nai B’rith Antwerp was founded in Bel- and harmony - remain very much alive. There
gium seventy years ago, on the 27th No- is a brotherly ambiance among the members
vember 1950. It received the name Loge of the Lodge Mala Zimetbaum and those
Mala Zimetbaum in memory of the Jewish who encounter any problems are helped and
Antwerpian resistance fighter, Mala Zimet- everyone can express their opinions.
baum, in Auschwitz.
The Lodge works hard for Freedom which
Five years after the Shoah, one of the main means democratie. The goal is to promote pro-
goals of the founders was to rebuild a nor- gress which will ensure improvements of living
mal Jewish community life in Flanders. It standards for the next generations. The Enlight-
was essential after WWII to restore old tra- enment involves transmitting the Jewish cul-
ditions, to reactivate the Jewish culture and ture heritage from one generation to another.
start building a future for the new genera-
tion where everyone could feel at home.
Walls and strongholds are useless if no one

Activities
is there to protect them. B’nai B’rith Antwer- 9 Organizing ‘Shalom Israel’ festival, on
pen is a defender of the Constitution which an yearly basis
protects human rights. It has a friendly re- 9 Participating in the European Days of
lationship with the authorities and the with Jewish Culture
the Flemish Community. The organization is 9 Organizing conferences
always ready to protect Jewish wellfare and
culture. Therefore fighting anti-Jewish feel- Direction Board
ings, which still exists, remains a must.
Mentor Vice President
The Sisters and Brothers of the lodge are loy- Leo Schumer Daniel Peterfreund
al Belgian citizens which support the State
President Secretary General
of Israel. The Lodge strongly and unyielding-
Willy Kahan Rukmini Amin
ly supports the Jewish State which remains
a safe haven for Jewish people.
13 Lodges in Focus
HENRY JONES
Bruxelles,
Belgium
History Direction Board

The Lodge of Henry Jones was created in 1956 Mentor
and named Henry Jones in honor of one of the Sylvie Rosenfeldt
American founders of B’nai B’rith. The lodge is
President
a member of the Coordinating Committee of
Valérie Achache
Jewish Organizations in Belgium.
Vice President
Joël Rubinfeld
Activities
Treasurer
9 Participation in the annual Shalom David Benizri
Festival
9 Book Fair
9 Cultural activities
Lodges in Focus 14
CARMEL
Sofia,
Bulgaria
rights and minority rights and to promote

History tolerance and the principle of a democrat-
The history of BB activities is existing since ic society.
end of 19th century in Bulgaria. First sign
of BB activities has been documented in
Russe city at the end of the 19th centu- Activities
ry. We are proud to have 120 years of B’nei 9 Support and receiving a financial award
B’rith activities in Bulgaria. Main accom- for creating multimedia work, related to
plishments in the following decades were the modern acceptance of Holocaust by
related to establishing a lazarette during young people
WWI, support given to Jewish families and 9 Active work with all related authorities
the participation in many Jewish social pro- to stop neo-nazi activities in Bulgaria
grams in the 20’s and 30’s. Carmel Lodge cre- 9 Strong participation in the 2020 ban of
ated a close relationship with lodges from “Lukov Marsh”( a fascist initiative)
other European countries -Romania, Turkey. 9 Permanent monitoring and reports sent
The Lodge was then forbidden following the to the authorities for all antisemitic and
ilementation of ZZD happened. xenophobic publications in social media
After 1944 there were attempts of re-es-

tablishment. In 1952, the activities of the Direction Board
Lodge were forbidden by the government
Mentor
but in 1992, the B’nai B’rith movement
Raphael Chichek
was re-established by the initiative of Al-
fred Krispin, Aaron Bali and other promi- President
nent Jewish persons. Jossif Assa
Since then, the Lodge reopened its activities Vice President

and remains a leader in the fight against Solomon Bali
xenophobia, antisemitism, and a promoter
Secretary General § Treasurer
of human rights in Bulgaria.
Beki Asher
Our main efforts are to spread remem-
brance of the Holocaust, to defend human
15 Lodges in Focus
GAVRO
SCHWARTZ
Zagreb, Croatia

The lodge was created in 2003 and found-
Mentor
ed by first the first President, Dragan
Darko Fischer
Stern. The goals of the B’nai B’rith Mem-
bers of Zagreb are: President
Ninoslav Perovic
9 Promoting Jewish culture, as well as Is-
raeli culture Vice President
9 Supporting the state of Israel Miljenko Bernfest
9 Fighting against antisemitism and racial
Treasurer & Secretary General
discrimination
Mira Hadji Ristić
9 Improving relations among Jewish peo-
ple and official public institutions
Activities
9 Lectures on the State of Israel and the
history of the Jewish people
9 Exhibition about Israel
9 Concerts of Jewish Music
Lodges in Focus 16
B'NAI B'RITH
RENAISSANCE
Prague, Czech Republic
History 9
Investing and fundraising for re-
construction of rare musical instru-
The lodge was established in 1991 as a ments such as the grand-piano in
follower and legal successor of pre-War the Jewish Town Hall or the organ at
District X, with its seat in Prague. From the Jerusalem (Jubilee) Synagogue
the beginning the lodge gather respected in Prague
Jewish personalities, from film and thea- 9 Supporting individual projects
tre directors to journalists, medical doc- (books and CDs publishing)
tors and scientists. The lodge became an 9 Organizing and co-organizing con-
important one, forming and maintaining certs and other cultural events
today´s modern Jewish life in the Czech
society.
Direction Board
Mentor
Activities Jan Lerbretier
9 Monthly meetings of the lodge with in- President
teresting guests from both Czech Jew- Tomas Kraus
ish and non-Jewish communities (from
ministers and other politicians to musi- Vice President
cologists and film historians) Hanus Gärtner
9 Annual meetings of « Visegrad Coun- Secretary General
tries
» lodges from Czech Republic, Petr Balajka
Slovakia, Hungary and Poland, recently
Treasurer
also Austria, under rotation principle
Alena Sipkova
9 Supporting individuals in need from the
Jewish Community
17 Lodges in Focus
DANMARK
Copenhagen,
Denmark

The lodge was created in 1912 by three Mentor
members of the Danish Jewish Communi- Benny Unterschlag
ty, who became members of the lodge in
President
Hamburg, Germany, thereafter Danmark
Martin Norden
Loge was installed in Copenhagen.
Vice Presidents
Alan Melchior
Activities Jens Peter Udsholt
9 Regular meatings (10-12 per season) Secretary General
9
Debates with key note speakers ad- Joram Felbert
dressing issues of actuality (within the
regular meetings) Corresponding Secretary
9 Actively participating in the European Mikael Gradlander
Days of Jewish Culture Treasurer
Samuel Korngut
Marshall
Benny Levy
Attendant
Pinchas Mizrahi
Lodges in Focus 18
RAOUL
WALLENBERG
Berlin, Germany

During the existence of two traditional President
Berlin lodges, and with their help, Leo András Kain
Baeck Lodge and Janusz Korczak Lodge,
Vice President
the founding of a mixed lodge with over
Esther Kotek
100 members has occured. The Lodge con-
sists of 76 members. Secretary General
Nathan Kotek
Activities Treasurer
9 Inviting speakers with topics on Juda- Claudia Löw
ism, antisemitism, Israel, history, poli-
tics
9 Traveling on the path of Jewish roots
through Europe every year
9 Celebrating the day of the Jewish cul-
tural heritage every September
9 Organizing social meetings, such as ex-
cursions or dinning together
9 Celebrating Jewish holidays
19 Lodges in Focus
FRANZ
ROSENZWEIG
Düsseldorf, Germany

The Franz Rosenzweig lodge was estab-
Mentor
lished on June 11th 1967 as the follower of
Michael Naor
the Düsseldorf Lodge, which was destruct-
ed by the Nazis in 1937. The new Lodge President
was named after the German-Jewish phi- Oded Horowitz
losopher Franz Rosenzweig. According Vice President
to the tradition of B’nai B’rith, the Franz Boris Zagrebelski
Rosenzweig lodge is foremost engaged in
local charity and in supporting projects in Secretary General
Israel. Alla Dronov
Treasurer
Activities Silke Goldin
9
Cultural activities (lectures and semi-
nars on topics of Jewish history, philos-
ophy and culture)
9 Activities in support of the State of Israel
and against antisemitism
9 Regular meetings with journalists and
politicians are being held (the round-
table discussion with members of the
parliament of the federal state of North
Rhine Westphalia)
9 One of the initiators of the “Israel Day”
(Israel Tag) in Düsseldorf in 2003 and
has remained since then one of the ma-
jor partners for the yearly event
Lodges in Focus 20
PHILON
Athens,
Greece

The Lodge was founded on October the Mentor
4th 1924, under the name « PHILON ». It Leon Gavrilidis
was founded honoring the Jewish philos-
President
opher from Alexandria, Egypt. The lodge
Victor Batis
has always conducted its activities under
the motto of B’nai B’rith : Benevolence – Vice President
Sisterly and Brotherly Love and Harmony. Rita Gabai
Deputy Secretary General

Activities Souzy Cohen
9 Promotion of Jewish life Treasurer

9 Conferences on various topics Elias V. Borbolis
9 Yearly trip to meet other Lodges in Eu-
rope and in other Greek small Jewish
Communities
9 Supporting social and cultural events of
local Jewish life
9 Welcoming and co-organizing the “Week
end in Athens of young Jewish profes-
sionals”
21 Lodges in Focus
B’NAI B’RITH
BUDAPEST
Budapest, Hungary
History Activities
B’nai B’rith Budapest Lodge is celebrating 9
International relations, especially fo-
its 30th anniversary in 2020. This period cused on building a strong network
makes everyone look back and evaluate within the V4 countries (Slovak Repub-
all of the events of the three decades. As lic, Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary)
the socialist regime ended in Hungary, 9 Conferences hosted by the V4 countries
members of the Jewish Community had (every fourth year, B’nai B’rith Buda-
the opportunity to join the prestigious pest Lodge welcomes the V4 members
organization of B’nai B’rith Internation- as well as the members of the Interna-
al. In 1989, Györgyi Bollmann and László tional B’nai B’rith community)
Korányi were supported by B’nai B’rith
Munich Lodge in the establishment of
the Budapest Lodge. With the support of Direction Board
the Hungarian Jewish Cultural Associa-
tion (Mazsike), the founding ceremony President
was held in February, 1990. In the begin- Peter Breuer
ning, the Know How Fund supported the Vice President
organization – not only financially. The Magda Vadasz
B’nai B’rith Budapest Lodge supported
Hungarian small businesses with courses, Secretary General
consulting and study trips. Moreover, the Eva Vadasz
lodge has been working on eliminating Treasurer
stereotypes against the Jews in the Hun- Viktor Hajos
garian society. The B’nai B’rith Budapest
Lodge became independent in 1994, and
ever since it has been financed by the
members and by grants.
Lodges in Focus 22
NATHAN AND ANNA

CASSUTO
Milano, Italy

The lodge was founded in 1954 under the Mentor
leadership of some brothers (Amedeo Joe Abeni
Mortara z.l., Silvio Arditi, Nedo Fiano and
President
others). Amedeo Mortara z.l. was the first
Claudia Bagnarelli
of the lodge’s sisters and brothers to cre-
ate strong links with B’nai B’rith Europe Vice President
and B’nai B’rith International, serving the Michele Arditi
Jewish Community as a leader, fighting Vice President
against antisemitism inside the Italian in- Ariel Nissim Colombo
stitutions.
Secretary General
Fabio Farhi
9 Organizing a Conference with the finan- Ioram Klein
cier Edouard Cukierman on January the
Member of Board Appointed for Charity
7th (the topic being the technological
Activities
innovation in the “Start Up Nation” of
Gianemilio Stern
Israel)
9 Supporting materially, economically Master of Ceremony
and morally other foreign Lodges and Amit Anafi
families affected by the Covid crisis since
Surveillant
February
Giulia Pesaro
9 Organizing a Zoom conference in June
2020 (the topic being “Human epidemic,
social disease” and “Covid-19 between
numbers and emotions”)
23 Lodges in Focus
ISIDORO
KAHN
Livorno, Italy

The Lodge has been created on the 15th Mentor
of March 2009 (5769). It is known as the Gadiel Polacco
Keyla Kedusha of Livorno, the “city of NO
President
Ghetto”.
Ariela Cassuto
Vice President
Activities David Liscia
9 Initiation of various projects such as Za- Secretary General
ddikim winds through two locations, the Danielle Cassuto
Monumental Cemetery and the Ceme-
tery of the Wolves (a project including Treasurer
the restoration and regular maintenance Paola Samaia
of about 100 tombs of Zaddikim)
9 A party dedicated to Israel during Yom
Hazmaut, to be repeated in Firenze and
Pisa as soon as Corona times will be over
Lodges in Focus 24
ELIA
BENAMOZEGH
Rome, Italy

The lodge was founded in 1955 according Mentor
to the principles of the B’nai B’rith «Char- Sandro Di Castro
ity, brotherly love and harmony». The
President
lodge is named after Elia Benamozegh, a
Federico Ascarelli
noted Italian rabbi and Kabbalist and one
of the greatest exponents of Italian Jewish Vice President
culture of the XIX century. Claudio Moscati
Vice President
Activities Mario Venezia
9 Promotion of the Italian Jewish culture

Secretary General and Head of
and heritage through different events International relations
9 Support to exhibitions
Alessandro Luzon
9 Organization of an event on the Europe- Treasurer
an day of Jewish culture Pierre Levì
9 Closed and open meetings with politi-
cians, journalists and other individuals
to discuss about relevant issues for the
Jewish community
25 Lodges in Focus
MOSES ROSEN
Bucharest,
Romania
History (The project has been organized under

the patronage of the President of Ro-
The B’nai B’rith Forum of Romania was mania as well as the Romanian Acad-
founded in 1873 by the US Consul to Ro- emy)
mania at the time. It is one of the oldest
lodges of B’nai B’rith International. Today,
under the leadership of its president, Mr Direction Board
Jose Iacobescu, it is seeing a vibrant reviv-
al. Among the members of the B’nai B’rith Mentor
Forum of Romania are central figures of Iosiper Manole
Romania’s Jewish community, working President
in diverse fields such as government, Jose Iacobescu
culture, education, health, research or fi-
Vice President
nance. The organization has branches in
Henry Wechsler
some of the country’s most important cit-
ies: Timisoara, Arad, Cluj, Iasi and its head- Secretary General
quarters in the capital city of Bucharest. Eva Galambos
Treasurer
Activities Anette Vainer
9 Organising a Zoom meeting of the Board

of Directors
9 Organizing general meetings
9 Actively participating in the European
Day of Jewish Culture
9 Receiving of the National Order of Faith-
ful Service in the rank of Officer by the
President Jose Iacobescu, offered by
the Romanian Presidency (on the day
of Rosh Hashana, at the Choral Temple
Lodges in Focus 26
TOLERANCIA
Bratislava,
Slovakia
History President, from the show “The greatest

Slovak”)
Throughout the history of almost 30 years 9 Actively participating in the European
the lodge was focused on activities relat- Days of Jewish Culture, on an yearly
ed to fighting antisemitism, humanitarian basis
aid for the Jewish community in Brati- 9 Exhibition of Jewish Personalities of
slava and on Israel. Many meetings were Bratislava (opened at the European Day
held with influential leaders from areas of Jewish Culture in 2017)
of politics. Social work and culture has 9 Fundraising on ‘The Anthology of Tho-
been given equal attention along with the rah’ published this year
presentation of the Jewish cultural herit-
age through the European Day of Jewish Direction Board
Culture.
Honorary Life President
Pavel Traubner
Activities
Mentor
9 Lodge Tolerancia was the initializer of
Juraj Alner
the regular gatherings of Lodges from
Prague, Košice, Budapest and Bratisla- President
va Peter Werner
9 Organizing regular closed and opened Vice President
meetings where politicians, actors art- Katarína Lesná
ists and other distinguished individuals
Secretary General
were invited to give presentations and
Anna Považanová
answers to questions of relevance to the
Jewish community in Slovakia Treasurer
9 The protest regarding the Slovak state Ľubica Adamcová
television RTVS leading to the exemp-
Public Affairs and ADL
tion of Josef Tiso (the war time Slovak
Grigorij Mesežnikov
27 Lodges in Focus
CONCORDIA
Kosice,
Slovakia

Activities of the Lodge took up again on Mentor
the basis of the pre-war activities of the Pavol Sitár
Concordia Lodge, which belonged to the
President
10th District. The lodge’s work is focused
Tomáš Teššer
on the intra-community life. It started or-
ganising lectures describing B´nai B´rith Vice President
and their missions and status within the Roman Gajdoš
Jewish society. The meetings are organ-
Secretary General
ised on a regular basis – once a month lec-
Dušan Rubovič
tures on various topics are run (Judaism,
the town of Košice Jewry and other some- Treasurer
times scientific or social themes). The Martin Schwarz
lodge welcomes actors, general council
members, ambassadors and other pres-
tigious personalities.
Activities
9
Charitable events (financial contribu-
tion was sent to the Ukrainian Jewish
families living on the verge of poverty in
the city of Lvov)
9 International cooperation with our part-
ner Lodges (Emile Zola from Marseille
and Leopolis from Ukraine)
9 Organising lectures describing B´nai
B´rith and their missions and status
within the Jewish society
Lodges in Focus 28
EDMOND FLEG
Lausanne,
Switzerland

On June the 23rd, 1975, 34 Jews from the Mentor
Canton of Vaud founded the Edmond Fleg Alain Barthes
Lodge and united by a desire to live and
President
perpetuate the B’nai B’rith principles of
David Jegger
Benevolence, Fraternal Love and Harmo-
ny. Born into a Geneva family, the writer First Vice President
Edmond Flegenheimer left a major work Michel Elkaim
in 1927 “Why I am Jewish” whose title, Secondary Vice President
both interrogative and affirmative, corre- Olivier Bloch
sponds well to the intentions of reflection
and action of the founding Brothers of the Secretary General
Lodge, and those who followed them. David Kratz
Treasurer
Activities Alain Barthes
Guard
9 Annual gastronomic-musico-cultural
Isabelle Ehrlich
evenings to celebrate the Judaism of
diaspora
9 Adding of more than 60 Brothers and
Sisters presently active
9 Aiming to integrate the BBYO into the
loge and to rejuvenate it with students
so they also feel more supported and
integrated into a local community
9
Supporting the ones touched by the
negative implications of the COVID vi-
rus financially
29 Lodges in Focus
AKL AUGUSTIN
KELLER
Zürich, Switzerland
History
Augustin Keller Lodge Zürich was estab- ers and sisters from lodges abroad or
lished in 1909. It is the oldest B’nai B’rith to pay a visit to Jewish communities
Lodge in Europe and active without any with long-standing and famous tradi-
interruption during both World Wars. The tion such as Riga, Vilnius, Thessaloniki
lodge is a traditional one with only male
members and currently having about one Direction Board
hundred fifty brothers.
Mentor
Roni Wildmann
Activities President
9 Providing humanitarian aid and fina Ernesto Ferro
cial support for individual persons in Vice President
need Jonathan Kreutner
9 Giving donations (tzedakah) for a Jew
ish home for disabled persons, old age Secretary General
homes and Jewish schools supporting Patrick Brunschwig
and closely cooperating with the “Soci Treasurer
ety against racism and antisemitism” Oliver Guggenheim
and “Society Switzerland-Israel”
9 Providing financial support for school
trips to concentration camps
9 Supporting social, political and cultural
events of local Jewish organizations
and institutions
9 Running the Hillel House
9 Organizing regular monthly meetings
with lectures, talks and speeches
9 Yearly organized trips to meet the broth-
Lodges in Focus 30
EVI UND SIGI

FEIGEL
Zürich, Switzerland

The lodge was created as the first mixed
Mentor
lodge in Zürich, on the 8th of December
Pinchas Gottheil
2013. The Lodge has known a great in-
crease in its members and activities. Co Presidents
Dr. Schewa Mandel
Arthur Plotke
Activities
Vice President
9 Politics and science lectures Arthur Plotke
9 Charities in Switzerland and Israel
Secretary General
Roger Zielinsky
Treasurer
Monica Rom
31 Lodges in Focus
HILLEEL
Amsterdam,
The Netherlands

The lodge was created in 1926 in Amster- Mentor
dam as the 986th Lodge according to the Franklin Weisz
philosphy of B’nai B’rith international, Be-
nevolence, Brotherly love and Harmony. President
Orlando Heijmerink
The goals are the promotion of the
spiritual, social and material develop- Vice President
ment of mankind in general and of Jews Hanny Schatz
in particular. Secretary General
Michael Swartz
Eron Wolf
9 Sponsoring yearly Hanukkah Concert
9
Supporting local kosher restaurants
during Covid-19 times
9
Fighting antisemitism in The Nether-
lands
9 Organization of a holiday week in Neth-
erlands for 20 Israëli youngsters chil-
dren homes
9 Supporting two Jewish Hilleel student
houses in Delft and Utrecht
9 Financial support for Jewish education
and social activities, Maccabi
9 Education about the Shoah
Lodges in Focus 32
HOLLANDIA
Rotterdam,
The Netherlands

The lodge was founded on the 25th of Mentor
March 1923 as the first B’nai B’rith lodge Ralph L. Hené
in Holland. It is now one of two active
lodges. The founder of this lodge was Dr. President
Albert van Raalte, a famous Dutch Jewish Kati Furman-Hajdu
conductor. Vice President
Salco H. Herschberg
Activities Secretary General

Annelies van Mechelen-Kneteman
9 Annual lectures
9 Support for the Jewish Elderly Center Treasurer
and Retirement Home in the Hague, Ziv Salco H. Herschberg
Medical Center in Israel, Bet Hashanti
Tyler
open house for youth
Rita Lobatto
9 Biannual hosting of a group of Israeli
soldiers
9 Annual end of summer party and Chan-
nukah party
33 Lodges in Focus
NORGESLOSJEN
Oslo,
Norway

Created after WW2 as part of the rebuild-
Mentor
ing of the Norwegian Jewish community,
Alexander Levi
the lodge’s main aims are supporting the
local Jewish community (in particular its President
young and old) and contributing to the Harry S. Klein
global fight against antisemitism. Vice President
Apart from the regular meetings, where Robert Hercz
the wider community is invited to attend Secretary General
regular lectures, the lodge arranges social Rolf Cohn
gatherings such as a Chanukah party for
the members and elderly, as well as an Treasurer
annual summer party for the entire Jew- Mike Levi
ish community. Financial support to the
youth of the community is provided, and
in the past support was provided also to
wider BBE projects.
Activities
9 Regular lodge meetings (followed by a
lecture
9 Invitations to attend lectures offered by
external presenters
9 Annual summer parties and a Channu-
kah party
9 Occasional gala dinners
Lodges in Focus 34
POLIN
Warsaw,
Poland

The first B’nai B’rith lodge in Poland after
Mentor
it regained independence, was installed
Kowalski Sergiusz
in 1922 in Warsaw, and its first president
was professor Moshe Schorr. A ceremonial President
commemoration of the 100th anniversa- Andrzej Friedman
ry of B’nai B’rith in Poland is planned for Vice President
2022. Telling-Saphar Frank
In 1938, Poland’s pre-war government Secretary General
de-legalised all Freemason lodges, and Kruczkowska Maria
grasped opportunity to de-legalise B’nai
B’rith as well. An all-Polish lodge was re- Treasurer
vived and installed in 2007. Nawrocki Piotr
Since September 2020 it is presided by

Andrzej Friedman, professor of neurology.
Activities
9 Organizing open debates broadly relat-
ed to Jewish life in Poland
9 Issuing public statements and open let-
ters condemning acts of antisemitism in
Poland
9 Organizing open and semi-open events
and discussions on various cultural, po-
litical, historical, and social topics
35 Lodges in Focus
LEOPOLIS
Lwow,
Ukraine

The lodge was founded in 1899, then
Mentor
closed in 1938 and then reestablished in
Yossif Shtatman
1999.
President
Currently, it has been supporting elderly
Michael Pleskov
and disabled Jews for more than 20 years.
The medical and financial supports are in- Vice President
deed vitally important for them. Moreover, Ludmila Schwarz
the lodge takes part in numerous cultural Secretary General
Jewish events in Ukraine and abroad. Tauba Kotova
Treasurer
Activities Vadim Golembo
9 Daily hot lunches at a canteen (Lwow)
9 Providing free medicines in Lwow, Ter-
nopol, and Ivano-Frankovsk regions and
volunteer doctors’ consulting
9 Monthly washing an ironing bedclothes
9 Monthly financially supporting appro-
priate number of clients in Lvov, Ter-
nopol, and Ivano-Frankovsk regions
9 Monthly food parcels and monthly fi-
nancial support for children from prob-
lematic families
9 Holding the Jewish holidays, lectures,
presentations, concerts and festivals,
assistance in publication of books by
Jewish authors
9 International Holocaust Center n. a. Dr.
A. Schwarz
Lodges in Focus 36
B’NAI B’RITH
KYIV
Kyiv, Ukraine

Bnai Brith Kyiv Lodge was established in
President
1993 and its first president was Academi-
Professor Felix Levitas
cian Mozes Sheikman. The lodge’s main
goals are fighting antisemitism and pro- Vice President
moting human rights and tolerance. Vladlen Portnikov
Secretary General
Activities Maya Samodiy
9 Promoting Jewish history, culture and

Treasurer
traditions through lessons Alexander Naiman
9 Projects of support for poor and/or dis-
abled Jewish people, WWII veterans and
Righteous Among the Nations
37 Lodges in Focus
B’NAI B’RITH UK
B’nai B’rith United Kingdom was founded B’nai B’rith United Kingdom is also very
in 1903 and gathers 13 Lodges. active contacting and working with other
European Lodges, such as the Kiev Lodge.
B’nai B’rith UK has a London Bureau of
International Affairs, playing a key role Alan Miller is the current President of B’nai
to maintain good relations with different B’rith UK.
political figures. B’nai B’rith UK also focus-
es on youth and young professional, with
B’nai B’rith Young Professionals (BBYP), a
very successful network.
Lodges in Focus 38
B’NAI B’RITH FRANCE
B’nai B’rith France has been active since B’nai B’rith Europe. Philippe Meyer is the
1932, and is the most important European current President of B’nai B’rith France.
section of the District. It gathers 40 Lodges
In this year’s very difficult context for the
divided in five regions: Paris, South East,
Jewish community of France, the Nation-
South West, East of France and Center of
al Office of B’nai B’rith France has main-
France. The national office is located in
tained its priority on political action and
Paris.
was particularly mobilized against an-
B’nai B’rith France is member of CRIF, the ti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, BDS and the
Jewish representative council gathering defense of the values of the Republic,
different institutions in France. The French including secularism. This action has re-
section of B’nai B’rith has been very active sulted in public positions, numerous con-
in leading intercultural projects regarding tacts at all levels with the company’s deci-
interfaith dialogue and fighting against all sion-makers, a very active communication
kind of discrimination. policy aimed at enhancing BBF’s visibility,
particularly on social networks and the
Past presidents include former LICRA pres-
presence of people. in the media, and the
ident (International League against Rac-
use of B’nai B’rith’s traditional highways
ism and Antisemitism) Jean-Pierre Bloch
to convey the necessary messages.
and Serge Dahan, the current president of
39 Lodges in Focus
REGION COTE D’AZUR
CHALOM CANNES – CANNES

Year of creation: 1968
Direction Board
President Aviva DIANA
Mentor Claudia SHOSHANA
Vice Presidents Rui GONCALVES, Daniel VAJDA
Secretary General Anie DIANA
Treasurer Jean-Paul SPORTOUCH
Guard Catherine MOYSAN
CÔTE D’AZUR – NICE

Direction Board
President Gisèle MARUANI
Mentor Jo ASSOULINE
First Vice President Albert MAROUANI, Joint VP : Anny BENSSOUSAN
Secondary Vice President Pierre LUMBROSO, Joint VP: Aimé KLEYER
Secretary General Michèle LUMBROSO
Treasurer Michèle DRAY
Guards Esther ASSOULINE, Sydney MARUANI
GOLDA MEIR – NICE

Direction Board
President Bernard MAX
Mentor Joelle CHARBIT
Vice President Jérôme CTORZA
Treasurer Jean-Michel SEKSIC
Lodges in Focus 40
Secretary General Marylinn MAX

Guards Marie-Paule KHAN and Nathalie BENAYM
MAZAL TOV – NICE

Direction Board
President Huguette BENSHEMOUN
Mentor Corinne LEVY
Vice President on culture Sarah EDERY
Vice Presidents on holidays and recreation Michelle ERNST, Solange MOSKOVITZ-
Treasurer Annie AKRICH
Joint Treasurer Huguette BENSEMHOUN
Secretary General Francine KLEYER
Guards Francine TEBOUL
Guard on traditions Myriam POMERANC
Accounting Committee Jacqueline TOLILA
Social Committee Colette BUDIDAN
MOSHÉ DAYAN – NICE

Direction Board
President Lucette MIZRAHI
Mentor Annie SAYAG
Vice President on culture Brigitte TANAUJI DAHAN
Vice Presidents on holidays and recreation Dominique SETBON, Philippe SAMOUN-
Secretary General Corinne SARFATI
Joint Secretary General Valérie ATTAL
Treasurer Paule COHEN
Joint Treasurer Barbara PIETRA
Guard Laurence LELLOUCHE
Joint Guard Daniel MIZRAHI
Social Committee Sarah ZERBIB Simon BENCHIMOL Denis SIBON
Frédérique SIBONI, Bernard UZAN Nicole HASSOUN
Serge ASSOUN
41 Lodges in Focus
RENÉ CASSIN - ANTIBES JUAN LES PINS

Direction Board
President François DUPUIS
Mentor Nathalie SIBONI
First Vice President Marcelline CHLOUS
and Secretary General Marcelline CHLOUS
Secondary Vice President Olivier BERTRAND-MISRAH
Treasurer Brigitte AMOYEL
Guard Danielle CHETBOUN
Joint Guard Arlette CHOUMER
Social Committee Renée SALPHATI
SHLOMO ALTUN – ANTIBES

Direction Board
President Danielle BENOLIEL
Mentor Jocelyne HADDAD
First Vice President Martine SCHALIK
Secondary Vice President Evelyne PRZYSWA
Secretary General Arlette SEBAN
Treasurer Rosine LEVY
Joint Treasurer Nicolle BENHAMOU
Guards Jean BENOLIEL and Jean Louis LEVY
Lodges in Focus 42
THEODOR HERTZL – NICE

Direction Board
President Gilbert DE PAZ
Mentor Daniel HARROCH
First Vice Presidents Nicole ATTIA
Secondary Vice Presidents Gérard TORDJMAN
Treasurers Patrick CASSE, Maryse DARMON
Secretary General David BOUDARAGuards Alain DARMON, Roger DRI
Joint Secretary General Catherine SALIMPOUR, Rosine TCHERNEVITCH
Traditions Lyne DARMON
Guard Alain DARMON, Maurice SAYAGH, Gérard TEBOULJoint
Joint Guard Louise DEPAZ
REGION GRAND-EST
ARMAND KRAEMER - METZ

Direction Board
President Eric FISZON
Mentor Brigitte ZAYDMAN
Vice President Patricia MARJENBERG
Treasurer Corinne SZERMAN
Secretary General Arielle SCHWARTZBERG
Guard Catherine FISZON
Advisor Henriette BENEDIC
43 Lodges in Focus
ELIE BLOCH - METZ

Direction Board
President Jacques SICHERMAN
Mentor Patrick HIRSCH
Vice President Solange DAVID
Treasurer François KEIM
Secretary General Yolande COHEN
Advisors Francis DAVID, Michel GERSTENHABER, Marylise
HIRSCH, François KATZ, Marc LAZAR, Mikaël WAJSBROT
EMMANUEL LEVINAS – STRASBOURG

Direction Board
President Elisabeth RAPIN
Mentor Claudine KLING
Vice President Pierre ATTYASSE
Treasurer Jean-Pierre ROTH
Secretary Generals Salomon LEVY, Eliane SPIELMANN
Joint Secretary General Sylvie SCHLANGER
Guard Michèle ADJEJ
Joint Guard Paule BENSOUSSAN
Members Jean-Pierre ADJEDJ, Liliane DREYFUS, Gilbert NERSON,
Liliane NERSON
ISAAC BEER JÉRUSALEM - NANCY

Direction Board
President Gérard TICOT
Mentor Hervé BRUNNER
Treasurer Michel DREYFUS
Secretary General Hervé KLAJNORMAN
Lodges in Focus 44
PAUL JACOB – MULHOUSE

Direction Board
President Robert BADER
Mentor Nicole SIMON
Vice President Nadia HOFNUNG
Treasurer Denis TUCHEL
RENÉ HIRSCHLER – STRASBOURG

Direction Board
Co-President Josy BOUHADANA
Co-President Martine SASSON
Mentor Raoul MEYER
Treasurer Ezra SASSON
Secretary General Danielle LEW
Joint Secretary General Francine LAMBERT
VPR Grand East and in charge of relations with the Consistory: Jacques BOUHADANA
In charge of the conviviality commission: Françoise GRADWOHL
Head of the heritage commission: Thierry KOCH
Responsible for the geopolitical and Israel commission : Marcel KOHEN
Head of the cultural commission: Michèle REUTER
Auditor and person in charge of the computer management: Marc FRIEDMANN
SCHEURER KESTNER – COLMAR

Direction Board
President Jean-Claude SZMIDT
Mentor Pol Roger LEVY
Secretary Gneral and Treasurer Evelyne SZTARK
45 Lodges in Focus
REGION PARIS - ILE DE FRANCE - LILLE -

DEAUVILLE - BORDEAUX
ANNE FRANK – NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE

Direction Board
President Babeth Ariane ZWEIBAUM
Mentor Jean-Pierre SOLERY
Treasurer Snéjina FRECHE
Secretary General Sophie BENMUSSA
Joint Secretary General Ingrid-Mery HAZIOT
Guard Evelyne SOLERY
BEN YEHOUDA – SAINT MAUR

Direction Board
President Marc HASSAN
Mentor Fabien DANA
Vice President Alain YAMIN
Treasurer Agnès AZOULAY
Secretary General Michel ARIE
Guard Pierre AZOULAY
CHA’AREH CHALOM – LILLE

Direction Board
President Jacques WEILL
Vice President François GOUGUENHEIM
Treasurer Jacques JAKUBOWICZ
Secretary General Michèle REHBY
Lodges in Focus 46
DANIEL PEARL – PARIS

A Year of creation: 2004
Direction Board
President Mathieu VALLENS
Mentor Avishaï LEGER-TANGER
Vice Presidents Déborah LICHENTIN, Déborah PUSZET
Treasurer Alain JACQUES
Secretary General Michel ALFANDARI
Reporters Olivier and Michelle LEVY
Guard Samy GEJZENBLOZEN
DAVID BEN GOURION – PARIS

Direction Board
President Paul KRISSI
Mentor Maxim OUANOUNOU
Vice Presidents Charles BACCOUCHE, Charles LESELBAUM, Jean-Pierre
SOLERY and Jo MURCIANO
Webmaster Jean-Pierre SOLERY
DEAUVILLE JÉRUSALEM – DEAUVILLE

Direction Board
President André FEINGOLD
Mentor Michel ZAKI
Vice Presidents Daniel SARBERG, Claudine BLEINES
Treasurer Henri MELNIK
Secretary General Jacqueline CHEKLER
Marshal Laure GHENON-LICHAN
Banner Carrier Michel LION
Advisor Nadine LEVY
47 Lodges in Focus
FRANCE ZADOC KAHN – PARIS

Direction Board
President Yves-Victor KAMAMI
Mentor Annie COHEN-GANOUNA
Vice Presidents Gérard GUEZ, Lionel KORENBEUSSER
Treasurer Gérard LUMBROSO
Secretary General Joëlle KORENBEUSSER
GEORGE GERSHWIN – PARIS

Direction Board
President Patricia WASERMAN
Mentor Haïm MUSICANT
Vice President Annie LAKS, Julie MOÏSE
Treasurer Jean-Michel ZALC
Secretary General Suzanne ELLENBERG
Guards Emmanuelle ROZAN, Josette JAÏS
Advisors Jean-Pierre ALLALI, David LEVY-BENTOLILA,
Haïm MUSICANT
HAIM NAHMAN BIALIK – NEUILLY-SUR-SEINE

Direction Board
President Frida ZEITOUNI
Mentor Michelle ROTMAN
Vice Presidents Jean-Daniel LEVY, Micheline SULITZER
Treasurer Claude BOKOBZA
Secretary General Georges NEU
Guard Régine HALIOUA
Advisors Maurice HALIOUA, Pascal KARSENTI, Viviane MEYER
Lodges in Focus 48
HANOUKA – PARIS
Direction Board
President Shlomo MALKA
Mentor Guy SABBAGH
Vice Presidents Danièle MALKA and Betty TEICHER
Honorary President Etienne LEVY-WILLARD, Stéphane TEICHER
Treasurer Ariette LEVY-WILLARD
Joint Treasurer Yvelise BENOUDIZ
Advisor Stéphane TEICHER
Secretary General Danièle MALKA
Joint Secretary General Marc BEDAYAN
Marshal Corinne KESSOUS
HILLEL - PARIS
Direction Board
President Thierry BURY
First Vice President Albert PINTO
Secondary Vice President Marguerite BLANK
Mentor Jacques HALIMI
Treasurer José SPALENIEC
Secretary General Pierre KHALIFA Guard Isaac BENOUDIZ
ISAAC BASHEVIS SINGER – LE RAINCY

Direction Board
President Armand ASSAYAG
Mentor Bernard ZENOU
Vice President Inès ASSUID
Treasurer Maguy ZENOU
Secretary General Pierrette ROSENBERG
49 Lodges in Focus
JACOB KAPLAN – PARIS

Direction Board
President Perla RELKIN
Honorary member André ELKRIEF, Arlette TESTILER
Mentor Jean-Marc ISRAEL
Vice Presidents Arlette TESTYLER and Perla RELKIN
Honorary Vice Presidents Claire RUBINSTEIN
Treasurer Monique ELKRIEF
Secretary General Claude ERRERA, Gérard BEHARD
Marshals Josiane SCHECROUN et Sarah BEHARD
Guard and Reporter Laurence SPIRA-WEIL
Advisor Mireille ISRAEL
KADIMA MAÏMONIDE – RUEIL MALMAISON

Direction Board
President Sylvaine Ojzerowicz
Mentor Violette FIMA
First Vice President Martine OUAZANA
Secondary Vice President Esther GRAVE
Treasurer André OUAZANA
Secretary General Pierre SILVERA
Marshal Claire AMAOUA et Lydia LAÏK
Reporter Simone SEBAN
Guard Claude KRIEF
Webmaster André WOLF
Lodges in Focus 50
KINERETH – ENGHIEN-LES-BAINS
Direction Board
President Sylvia GOLD
Mentor Charles ABEHASSERA
Vice Presidents Jean-François LANDIER, Suzanne WAJZER
Treasurer Gilbert BERDA
Secretary General Gilles LORRAIN
Advisor Dominique SITRUK
Guard Roland LOEB
LÉON BLUM - JUDAÏSME PLURIEL – PARIS

Year of creation: loge Léon Blum 1977, loge Judaïsme Pluriel 1980
Direction Board
President Colette ARFI
Mentor Shalom BENCHEMOUL
Vice Presidents Marianne RODE, Gilbert CHICHE
Treasurer Julien ARFI
Guards Chantal HADIDA, Jacqueline KOPPLEWIZ
Advisors Chantal HADIDA, Monique LEVY, Gisèle
TAUBERT-EDOUARD, Alexis TUBIANA
LÉON POLIAKOV – SAINT-MANDÉ

Direction Board
President Daniel MOENS
Mentor Viviane LUMBROSO
Vice President Philippe WAINTRAUB
Treasurer Jean-Claude LUMBROSO
Secretary General Clémence ADLER
Marshal Clémence ADLER
51 Lodges in Focus
MICHEL DE MONTAIGNE – BORDEAUX

Direction Board
President Jacqueline AOUIZERAT
Mentor and Guard Georges BOUHANA
Vice Presidents Isabelle HABIB
Treasurer and Marshal Georges BEN HARROCHE
Secretary General Mireille LEVY
Joint Secretary General Cecil BENSIMON
OR VE SHALOM – PARIS
Direction Board
President Alain JOCHIMEK
Mentor Serge DAHAN
Vice Presidents Danielle HAIK and Serge NACCACHE
Treasurer Daniel HAMMER
Secretary General Florence HAMMER
Guard Simon BITTER
SHALOM ALEIKHEM – PARIS

Direction Board
President Martine NATAF
Mentor Flora FLEURY
Vice President Dorothée ANISF
Treasurer Albert LIPKOWICZ
Secretary General Nelly WOLF HOHN
Reporter Felix NATAF
Juridical advisor Hélène LYS
Lodges in Focus 52
SIGMUND FREUD – PARIS

Direction Board
President Guy SAPRIEL
Mentor Emmanuel NIDDAM
Vice Presidents Roland GREEN and Judith COHEN-SOLAL
Treasurer Agnès RASSIAL
Joint Treasurer Arielle SCHWAB
Secretary General Eric HALIMI
Guard Alain VANIER
SIMONE VEIL – PARIS

Direction Board
President Evelyne GEJZENBLOZEN
Mentors Martine BOCCARA
Vice Presidents Vanessa HELESCHEWITZ, Daniel MSIKA
Treasurer Lina MSIKA
Secretary General Annie BOCCARA
Joint Secretary General Raphaëlle SEBAG
Guard Serge CURIEL
Marshal Josée CURIEL
Reporter Myrna SEBAG
Conferences responsible Lisette HAZAN
Advisors Bernard COHEN HADRIA, Michel DANON,
Aris HAUPTSCHEIN
TSEDEK – PARIS
Direction Board
President Michèle DRAY
Mentor Lucie ABRAHAM
53 Lodges in Focus
Marshal Huguette DEYSSON

Guard Jean SWITA
VERSAILLES - VERSAILLES
Direction Board
President Eric-Charles BOUHNIK
Mentor Joseph GOZLAN
Vice Presidents Jean-Charles GOLDBERG, Aimé OVADIA
Treasurer Brigitte GOLDBERG
Secretary General Eric SAIAG
Guard Charles LALOUM
Reporter Roxane CHOUKROUN
Communication Advisor Agnes SIMONPAOLI
Youth Advisor Laeticia LEVY
Advisor Jean-Jacques HADJADJ
YONATHAN NETANYAHOU – THIAIS

Direction Board
President Dov SMADJA
Mentor Edmond ZAKINI
Vice Presidents Tamara GHNASSIA and Serge TAIEB
Treasurer David GABBAY
Secretary General Thierry ATLAN
Marshal Claude RINDZUNSKI
Department Memory
Committee (94) Rolland GHNASSIA
Lodges in Focus 54
REGION PROVENCE OCCITANIE
EMETH – AVIGNON
Direction Board
President Marc ELBEZE
Mentor Patricia MIZRAHI
Treasurer Monique LANGE
Secretary General Lionel BERCAULT
EMILE ZOLA – MARSEILLE

Direction Board
President Francine COEN
Mentor Nicole GHEZ
Vice President Charles ZENOU
Secretary General Serge COEN, Sylvie SEBAOUN-GIL
Treasurer Alain FOURNIOUX
Advisors Henri DAHENNE, Elisabeth TELLING
EMMANUEL LÉVINAS – TOULON

Direction Board
President Guy FERMON
Mentor Maurice AZIZA
Vice President Jean BENAHIM
Treasurer Alain SEBBAH
Secretary General Annie BITAN
55 Lodges in Focus
HARMONIE – MARSEILLE
Direction Board
President Céline FRIDOSKI
Mentor and Treasurer Madeleine MEDIONI-GONZALEZ
Mentor Eliette NIDAM
Secretary General Maryse FRIDOSKI
Guard Yvette COHEN
JOSEPH KESSEL – MARSEILLE

Direction Board
President Jocelyne ARDITTI
Mentor
Claude SAADA
First Vice President Albert CATALAN
Secondary Vice President Hélène COHEN
Treasurer
Eric GUETTA
Guard
Robert ARDITTI
Secretary General Jean DURAND
JULES ISAAC – AIX EN PROVENCE

Direction Board
President Thierry MELKI
Mentor Henri-Luc SALFATI
Vice president Patrick MAUGERY
Secretary General Olivia MELKI
Lodges in Focus 56
LOUIS KAHN - EYRAN PICARD – MARSEILLE

Direction Board
Co-Presidents Michel LIEBERMANN and Joyce BENABOU
Mentor Thierry HOCHBERG
Vice President Léopold COHEN
Treasurer Emile ABECASSIS
Secretary General Bernard BENZEKRI
Joint Secretary General Malia MYARA
Guard Sam COHEN-SABAN
Joint Guard Philippe STIOUI
MAÏMONIDE – TOULOUSE
Direction Board
President Pierre GUEDJ
Mentor Jean-Claude NABET
Treasurer Max MARQUES
Vice President André LAYANI
Secretary General Roseline MARQUES
Joint Secretary General Michel SZTERNBERG
Advisor Albert ANKRI
MENAHEM BEN SALOMON – PERPIGNAN

Direction Board
President Jacqueline MATHIEU
Mentor Philippe SCHLOUCH
Secretary General Sonia SUPRAT
Treasurer Victor CHELLI
Guard Laurence CHELLI
57 Lodges in Focus
RAMBAM MAÏMONIDE – MONTPELLIER

Direction Board
President Raphaël SIBONI
Mentor Daniele MOISES
Vice President Martine TIMSIT
Treasurer Etoile SELLAM
Secretary General Corine WULKMAN
Guard Susanna AZQUINEZER
REGION RHONE ALPES AUVERGNE
EDWIN GUGGENHEIM-MARC ARON – LYON

Direction Board
President Bernard MASSOUBRE
Mentor Henri FITOUSSI
Vice Presidents Yves COHEN and Véronique AZOULAY
Treasurer Gérard RAPHAËL
Secretary General Ilan LEVY
Marshal Martine CAMHI
Guard Pierre WOLF
HÉLÈNE ET VICTOR BASCH – LYON

Direction Board
Co-Presidents Sylvie ALTAR and Nicole ELBAZ
Mentor Michèle EDERY
Vice Presidents Betty BOULET-BOUCHOUCHA, Liliane SEBBAG
Lodges in Focus 58
Treasurer Laurence AZOULAY-DRAY

Secretary General Sophie BENSAID
Guard Jeanne RAPHAEL
Marshals Evelyne BLOCH, Jo MARX
JOSEPH REICH – LYON

Direction Board
Co-Presidents Monique BENATAR and Laurence STEIN ROOS
Mentors Liliane COHEN and Emmanuelle KARO
Treasurer Sylvie NAHON
Secretary Generals Sylvie AMSELLEM, Cathy VALLUY
Guard Pascale IMBERT
MORDEHAI – GRENOBLE
Direction Board
President Ada SADOUN
Mentor Florent BORGEL
Treasurer Ada SADOUN
Secretary General Ariella COHEN
Marshal Danielle BORGEL
Communication Sidney COHEN
ROBERT LEHMANN-YITZHAK RABIN – LYON

Direction Board
Co-Presidents Hervé NAHON and Alexis KARO
Vice President Marcel DREYFUSS
Treasurer Gerard LEVAL
Secretary General Yves Alain STORY
59 Lodges in Focus
CHALOM CANNES
Cannes, France

The Lodge has been created in 1968 and Mentor
its main objectives are to work for the no- Claudia SHOSHANA
blest aspirations of mankind, instilling in
President
our members the purest principles of phi-
Aviva DIANA
lanthropy, honor and patriotism, assisting
the underprivileged and supporting cul- Vice Presidents
tural institutions. Rui GONCALVES
Daniel VAJDA

Anie DIANA
9 Monthly meetings
9 Organizing conferences Treasurer
Jean-Paul SPORTOUCH
Guard
Catherine MOYSAN
Lodges in Focus 60
ELIE BLOCH
Metz, France

The ELIE BLOCH Lodge meets in principle Mentor
on the first Tuesday of each month at 7.15 Patrick HIRSCH
pm in closed dress, followed by a dinner
President
and a conference open to all members of
Jacques SICHERMAN
the Metz community and by invitation to
non-Jews. Vice President
David SOLANGE

Yolande COHEN
9 Fighting against BDS
9 Political actions Treasurer
9 Charitable actions Francois KEIM
9 Organizing conferences
Advisors
Marlyse HIRSCH, Michel GERSTENHAB-
ER, Mikael WAJSBROT, Marc LAZAR,
Francois KATZ
61 Lodges in Focus
EMILE ZOLA
Marseille, France

The Lodge was created in 1950. It was cre- Mentor
ated by Holocaust survivors from Alsace, Nicole GHEZ
Eastern Europe and the Balkans, in order
President
to bring back to life the community of Mar-
Francine COEN
seille, decimated during the 2nd World
War. The Community leaders were broth- Vice President
ers of the lodge. Charles ZENOU
The Lodge played an important role in Secretary General

the resolution of the children Finaly, who Serge COEN
participated in Jules Isaac’s visit to the Sylvie SEBAOUN-GIL
Vatican in 1960. It worked to welcome the Treasurer
Jews of Egypt, North Africa through its po- Alain FOURNIOUX
litical, medical and legal contacts. Young
Israeli victims of terrorism were also wel- Advisors
comed into the city’s lodges. Henri DAHENNE
Elisabeth TELLING
Activities
9 European twinning with the Kosice Lodge
in Slovakia and with the Leopolis Lodge in
Lwow
9 Lectures by academician Renée Drai Ben-
sousan, historian Carol Iancu, and Father
Desbois
9 Gala evening for the 170th anniversary of
B’nai B’rith in the presence of the Presidents
of B’nai B’rith Europe and B’nai B’rith France
Lodges in Focus 62
MAIMONIDE
Toulouse, France

The Lodge was created on the 17th of Oc- Mentor
tober 1967. Jean Claude NABET
The lodge was exclusively male for many President

years but is now mixed. It is known for Pierre GUEDJ
its cultural activities in open air (classical
Vice President
concerts and conferences).
Andre LAYANI
Secretary General
Activities Roseline MARQUES
9 Conferences
Treasurer
9 Study boards of brothers and sisters
Max MARQUES
9 Participation in the Steering Committee of
the CRIF Midi Pyrénées
9 Social aid in the community and in Israel
BBE PROJECTS
AND EVENTS
BBE Projects and Events 64
BBE Talks was created in order to allow This project aims to inspire, inform, unite
Lodges to connect, to get to know each oth- the Lodges, all for the better future of the
er better and to develop their knowledge organization.
about specific topics.
The first three conferences were held with
Each conference is held online and focus- the focus on Italy, Hungary and Slovakia,
es on one region or one country. Lodges the topics tackled being cyber space and
from all over Europe have the opportunity terrorism, the current renaissance of Hun-
to present their activities, the Jewish com- garian Jewry and the history, life and fu-
munities’ initiatives and the updates on the ture of Jewish communities in Slovakia.
country’s Jewish communities’ situation.
Every conference also introduces a crucial

figure of that certain Jewish community or
of political scene.
BBE TALKS WITH SWITZERLAND
The fourth BBE Talks conference took place book written to

on the 26th of November 2020. The confer- preserve the
ence was held around the powerful story of memory of those
a holocaust survivor and her book based on terrifying times,
it. President Serge Dahan initiated the con- so that young-
ference giving a few words about B’nai B’rith er generations
Europe. The President of Henry Dunant would never be
Lodge, Joel Goldstein, then presented a bit forced to live
about the Jewish community in Geneva, as something like that ever again. Ms. Rosen-
well as the Lodge’s activities. This was fol- berg’s granddaughter and daughter were
lowed by a short description of Lausanne’s also present throughout the entire confer-
Jewish community and its Lodge, Edmond ence, comforting Paulette and translating
Fleg, description offered by the President her thoughts to all the non-French speaking
of the Lodge, David Jegger. The key note participants. Conclusions on the fourth BBE
speaker of the conference, Ms. Paulette An- Talks conference were brought by the Presi-
gel-Rosenberg, shared her incredible Hol- dent of B’nai B’rith Europe, Serge Dahan.
ocaust survivor story, also referring to her
65 BBE Projects and Events
BBE TALKS WITH TURKEY
The fifth BBE Talks conference took place Aji, made the
on the 4th of March 2021. The topic of it participants un-
was Antisemitism in Turkey – Our Expe- derstand more
rience. President Serge Dahan initiated about unique
the conference giving a few words about Turkish Antisem-
B’nai B’rith Europe. Vice President of the itism Arguments
Turkish Awareness Committee, Dogan and what Turkish
Pinhas, gave everyone an insight on the Jewish commu-
Turkish Awareness Committee and its ac- nities face in their own country and what
tivities. Right after, President of the Turk- is done in order to change that. The Pres-
ish Awareness Committee, Denis Ojalvo ident Serge Dahan concluded the confer-
and a young member of the group Erez ence.
BBE TALKS - LES DERNIERS
On the 6th of April 2021, the sixth BBE cussion with the
Talks conference took place, in honor of Director of this
Yom Hashoah. It’s focus, this time, was on project, Ms. So-
‘Les Derniers’ project. phie Nahum.
Les Derniers is a series of short documen- Sophie took

taries. Each episode features survivors, us all on this
who share their story of the war, the life touching real
that they once had, that they once lost journey and her
and that they managed, somehow, to re- continuous efforts in holding on to the
build. memory are a must in order for future
generations to never forget.
The conference consisted of a screening
of two episodes, followed by a live dis-
BBE TALKS WITH BELGIUM
The seventh BBE Talks conference took Lodge. The in-

place on the 20th of April 2021. The topic vited speaker of
of it was the Jewish life in Belgium. Pres- this BBE Talks
ident Serge Dahan initiated the confer- conference was
ence giving a few words about B’nai B’rith political scien-
Europe. President of the Antwerp Lodge – tist and histori-
Mala Zimetbaum, followed with an over- an, Joël Kotek,
view on the Lodge of Antwerp, as well as that spoke about
on Jewish Life in Antwerp. Secretary Gen- Jewish life in Belgium as a whole. The
eral of BBE and President of Henry Jones President Serge Dahan concluded the
Lodge, Valérie Achache, gave everyone conference.
an insight on the reactivated Brussels
BBE TALKS WITH ITALY
The eighth BBE Talks conference took Lodge in Milan

place on the 10th of June 2021. The topic does. Alessan-
of it was the Jewish life in Italy. President dro Luzon, Vice
Serge Dahan initiated the conference President of Elia
giving a few words about B’nai B’rith Eu- Benamozegh
rope. President of the Livorno Lodge – Isi- Lodge, told us
doro Kahn, Ariela Cassuto, followed with all about one of
an overview on the activities of the Lodge the oldest Jew-
of Livorno, as well as the city’s Jewish ish communities
community. Surveillant of the Nathan E in the world, the Rome Jewish commu-
Anna Cassuto Lodge of Milan, Claudia Ba- nity and about its two Lodges. President
gnarelli, gave everyone an insight on the Serge Dahan concluded the conference.
Milan community and the work that the
BBE TALKS WITH ISRAEL
The ninth BBE Talks conference took place sel Lodge of Tel
on the 26th of October 2021. The topic of Aviv, Lison Nad-
it was the French-speaking community in jar, gave every-
Israel - Stakes and Integration. President one an overview
Serge Dahan initiated the conference of her Lodge’s
giving a few words about B’nai B’rith work and what
Europe. President of the Tel Aviv Lodge it is like be-
- Joseph Wybran, Emmy Wybran, then ing part of the
followed with sharing her challenging French-speak-
story that brought her to the opening of a ing community in Israel. The later topic
Lodge in Israel, named after her late hus- was further tackled. Serge Dahan con-
band. Right after, President of Elie Wie- cluded the conference.
Launched on 1st February 2020, NOA – Networks Overcoming Antisemitism, offers

a pioneering approach to tackle the problem of rising antisemitism in Europe. With
its unique partnership of major Jewish networks, it aims to evaluate EU Member
States’ policies across areas, from education to culture and security, and help them
to develop holistic national action plans to address and prevent antisemitism.
The project is supported by the European

Commission and involves a consortium
with five other European Jewish organiza-
tions – CEJI (A Jewish Contribution to an
Inclusive Europe), WJC (World Jewish Con-
gress), AEPJ (The European Association for
the Preservation and Promotion of Jewish
Culture and Heritage), EUJS (European
Union of Jewish Students) and EUPJ (Eu-
ropean Union for Progressive Judaism).
from left to right: ‘NOA project launch’ Assumpció
REPORT CARDS Hosta (AEPJ General Secretary), Valerie Achache
(BBE Secretary General), Robin Sclafani (CEJI
The governments are held accountable
Director), Sonja Guentner (EUPJ board), Bini
through a National Report Card based on
Guttmann (EUJS President), Katharina von Schn-
the various fields of actions called for in urbein (European Commission Coordinator on
the EU Council Declaration, benchmark- Combatting Antisemitism) and John Malkinson
ing progress indicators and engaging the (WJC Chief Operating Officer)
various stakeholders in the development
and implementation of national action
plans. The National Report Card method-
ology examines areas that can be difficult
to measure, while sharing good practices,
especially in relation to Education and Re-
membrance, Hate crime and Hate speech,
Security, Media, Interfaith-Intercultural
dialogue, Religious Freedom and Sports.
NOA partners in action

NOA COMPASS CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

Cultural events celebrating pluralisms
and promoting dialogue are initiated
by Jewish cultural institutions. Positive
narratives are diffused through cultural
festivals, school-based programmes, film
and social media campaigns using new
resources and scaling up existing good
An online hub of good practices and re- practice.
sources was created in order to support
SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN
Member States in the implementation of
their action plans. This section of the pro- A social media campaign – ‘Profiles’
ject is focused on creating a community of sheds light on the positive contributions
people fighting antisemitism in Europe. It of European Jewry to wider communi-
translates into a mapping exercise of initi- ties where they live. The campaign fo-
atives to combat antisemitism. cuses on past and present Jewish contri-
butions to Europe, representing models,
TRAINING AND TEACHING initiatives and contemporary stories
Anti-bias training and teaching tools that reinforce a positive narrative of Eu-
are disseminated to public authorities, ropean Judaism.
schools, communities and sport clubs. A
new and improved Overcoming Antisem-
itism Training Manual is produced, with 4
downloadable resources for addressing
the most pressing pedagogical challenges
faced today.
ANTISEMITISM IN SPORTS
Commitments from sporting authorities
and clubs are gathered, in order to en-
sure that they are creating inclusive and
respectful environments wherein any ex-
pression of antisemitism or other forms of
hatred will not be tolerated. This includes
5 national workshops reaching 125 sport-
ing leaders, leading to concrete action
plans.
EUROPEAN DAYS OF JEWISH CULTURE
The fundamental objective of this Europe- of Jewish

an collaboration is to highlight the diversity Students,
and richness of Judaism, with the intention Director of
of promoting dialogue, mutual recognition B’nai B’rith
and exchange through conferences, con- Europe,
certs, performances, guided tours and other President of
activities. the Jewish
community
As a main actor of AEJP (European Associ-
of Luxem-
ation for the Preservation and Promotion
bourg, as well as President of the B’nai B’rith
of Jewish Culture and Heritage) B’nai B’rith
Luxembourg Lodge.
Europe supports the preservation, appreci-
ation and promotion of Jewish culture and Task Force Group
Jewish heritage in Europe. Through this Always supportive of AEPJ in the prepara-
association B’nai B’rith Europe encourages tion of the European days of Jewish Culture,
Jewish sites to present Judaism to the wide B’nai B’rith Europe has participated in the
public, with its educational, social and cul- 2021 Task Force Group, which established
tural programs. This goal is notably achieved the basis of what the European Days of Jew-
through its leading program – European ish Culture will look like this year. The theme
Days of Jewish Culture and Heritage. of this year was Dialogue.
On Jewish Culture and Heritage Days, select- BBE Working Group
ed synagogues and Jewish historic sites are
The President of B’nai B’rith Europe created
open to the general public and related events
a working group on the project, with the ob-
including guided walks and exhibitions take
jective of engaging more lodges in this year’s
place. The European Days of Jewish Culture
European Days of Jewish Culture, therefore
(EDJC) is the reflection of a true revolution in
reinforcing one of B’nai B’rith Europe’s main
the field of culture, which, for the first time,
pillars, that of promoting our culture and tra-
places citizens, communities and territory at
ditions.
the forefront while using cultural heritage as
an agent for sustainable local development. The group included France, the UK, Holland,
Denmark, Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, Ger-
Francois Moyse is the founding member of
many and Ukraine and was a success.
the European Association for the Preserva-
tion of Jewish Heritage (AEPJ) and is cur- This year, more countries joined the or-
rently the President of this association. He ganization of this event in their respective
served as President of the European Union countries.
EVENTS WITH PARTNERS
B’NAI B’RITH EUROPE AND HIAS EUROPE

COMMEMORATE HOLOCAUST REMEMBERENCE
DAY - THE STARFISH SCREENING
by B’nai B’rith Europe and HIAS Europe
On the 27th January 2021, on the occasion a personal testi-

of the Holocaust Remembrance Day, B’nai mony of Mindy
B’rith Europe, together with HIAS Europe Utay, Herb Gil-
organized a moving event. din’s niece.
After participants were asked to watch ‘The Starfish’

the movie “The Starfish” on their own, a is Tyler Gildin’s
memorial ceremony was held, led by the award-winning
President of B’nai B’rith Europe, Serge documentary about his grandfather’s sur-
Dahan and Rabbi Bent Melchior, who also vival during WWII, the family’s reunion in
honored the event by sharing a personal New York, and the work of HIAS that made
story connected to those cruel times. Fol- it possible.
lowing was a virtual post-discussion with
documentary filmmaker Tyler Gildin and
HIAS Europe Director Ilan Cohn, as well as
HOLOCAUST REMEMBERANCE DAY CEREMONY

by BBI
On the 1st of February 2021, in marking In- In a world with

ternational Holocaust Remembrance Day – fewer and fewer
76 years since the liberation of Auschwitz, survivors, and fol-
BBE attended a commemorative ceremo- lowing a year that
ny, followed by two panel discussions, or- has challenged our
ganized by the office of EU Affairs of B’nai understanding of
B’rith International. connectedness, the
Special messages were given by the Presi- event focused on in-
dent of the European Commission, Ursula novation and coop-
Von Der Leyen, UNESCO Director-General, eration as two key
Audrey Azoulay, Secretary General of the motors for remembrance.
Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić,
Chair of the IHRA, Michaela Küchler and Di-
rector of OSCE/ODIHR, Matteo Mecacci.
B’NAI B’RITH EUROPE ACTIVE IN THE

EUROPEAN COMMISSION ROUNDTABLE
by the European Commission
On the 11th of February 2021, B’nai B’rith and Fostering Jewish Life, coordinated by
Europe, along with major Jewish organ- Katharina von Schnurbein.
izations working with the EU institutions
The Roundtable commenced with an over-
(CEJI, EUPJ, EUJS, BBI, EJCC, EJC, WJC,
view of the European Commission’s activi-
AJC TI, HIAS) attended the 17th Europe-
ties and planning, followed by each of the
an Commission Roundtable with Jewish
participating organizations giving insights
Organizations. The event is periodically
on their latest updates of past and upcom-
organized by the European Commission’s
ing events and actions.
department on Combating Antisemitism
EU STRATEGY ON COMBATING ANTISEMITISM

by B’nai B’rith Europe and partners
The year of 2021 brought major interna-

tional Jewish organizations to present rec-
ommendations to combat antisemitism
and to foster Jewish life to the European
Commission, ahead of the EU’s first-ever
strategy to combat Jew-hatred.
B’nai B’rith Europe, together with the

B’nai B’rith International (BBI), The Euro-
pean Association for the Preservation and
Promotion of Jewish Culture and Heritage
(AEPJ), The World Jewish Congress (WJC),
The European Union of Jewish Students
(EUJS), A Jewish Contribution to an Inclu-
sive Europe (CEJI), the European Union for
Progressive Judaism (EUPJ), The Ameri-
can Jewish Committee Transatlantic In-
stitute (AJC-TAI) and The European Jewish
Congress (EJC) agreed that the European
Commission must respond to a dangerous B’nai B’rith Europe is grateful for the con-
spire in antisemitic attacks. tinued engagement with the European
Commission and is eager to continue its
The recommendations build on the Coun-
efforts in supporting the implementation
cil Declaration of December 2020 on main-
of the EU Strategy on combating antisemi-
streaming the fight against antisemitism
tism and fostering Jewish life.
across policy areas and making concrete
proposals for a wide spectrum of EU pol- The Strategy has officially been adopted
icy portfolios. on the 5th of October 2021.
EPP WORKING GROUP ON INTERCULTURAL

AND RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE
by EPP Working Group
On the the 11th of May 2021, B’nai B’rith

Europe had the honor of taking part in The
EPP Working Group on intercultural and
religious dialogue webinar with the focus
on Antisemitism in Europe. The webinar
was initiated by MEPs, Co-Chairmans of
the Working group on Intercultural and She then passed the floor to Melissa Son-
Religious Dialogue, György Hölvényi and nino, Facing Facts Coordinator at CEJI
Jan Olbrycht. – A Jewish Contribution to an Inclusive
B’nai B’rith Europe’s Executive Managing Europe, who offered an overview on the
Director, Hanna Kalmenson underlined NOA project (Networks Overcoming An-
the role of culture to deconstruct stereo- tisemitism), a project supported by the
types. She mentioned the European Days European Commission, in which B’nai
of Jewish culture, a project of AEPJ – the B’rith Europe is actively involved. She also
European Association for the Preservation presented a bit about Facing facts and Be-
and Promotion of Jewish Culture and Her- lieforama – two other projects led by CEJI,
itage, an organization founded by B’nai tailored to combat antisemitism on differ-
B’rith Europe among others. She also un- ent levels.
derlined the crucial role of intercultural
dialogue as a means to overcome anti-
semitism and insisted that it should be
broaden and deepened.
B’NAI B’RITH EUROPE ACTIVE IN THE

EUROPEAN COMMISSION WORKING GROUP ON
ANTISEMITISM
by the European Commission
On the 3rd and 4th of June 2021, B’nai tional authorities and stakeholders on the
B’rith Europe, along with major Jewish most important issues that the strategy
organizations working with the EU in- should address and concrete actions to
stitutions attended the European Com- tackle them.
mission Working Group on Antisemitism.
Vice-President for promoting our Euro-
The event is periodically organized by the
pean Way of life, Margaritis Schinas, pre-
European Commission’s department on
sented the work that paved the way in the
Combating Antisemitism and Fostering
fight against discrimination, racism and
Jewish Life, coordinated by Katharina von
antisemitism.
Schnurbein.
The aim of the Strategy is threefold: I) to
The 5th meeting of the Working Group on
prevent and combat all forms of antisem-
combating antisemitism was a key event
itism (online and offline), II) to foster Jew-
to consult Member States and Jewish
ish life and safeguard Jewish heritage and
communities on their ideas for the first-ev-
III) to ensure and strengthen Holocaust
er EU Strategy on combating antisemitism
remembrance, education and research.
and fostering Jewish life. The strategy will
These objectives form the pillars that will
be adopted by the European Commission
guide the development of the Strategy in-
by the end of 2021, as announced in its
side and outside the EU. Each session fo-
Work Programme 2021. The objective of
cused on one of these pillars.
the meeting was to gain input from na-
LODGES EVENTS AND
HIGHLIGHTS
Events and Highlights 78
CULTURE
EUROPEAN DAYS OF JEWISH CULTURE

by Lodges all around Europe
This year is, without a doubt, one of the promoting positive narratives that high-
most ambitious editions of the Europe- light the contribution of European Jewry
an Days of Jewish Culture. The festival is to a more pluralistic and inclusive Europe,
framed within the context of the European that the theme for this year’s edition is:
project NOA (Networks Overcoming Anti- DIALOGUE.
semitism). It is under this umbrella, and
See a selection of events that the Lodges
with the intention of disseminating and
have prepared all around Europe.
Tolerancia Lodge -
Bratislava, Slovakia
On the 5th of September 2021, the Tol-
erancia Lodge of Slovakia has shown the
exhibition of artefacts from the Jewish
Museum in Prešov, in the synagogue of
Bratislava, as well as in the premises of
the synagogue.
The second part of the program was a lec-

ture at the Orthodox cemetery in Bratisla-
va about more than 400 matzevot from
the oldest known cemetery of Bratislava.
They were lately found at the newer cem-
etery and studied. The state Jewish mu-
seum has also prepared a lecture, with a
program for children.
79 Events and Highlights
Leopolis Lodge - Lviv, Ukraine Hilleel Lodge - Amsterdam, Holland

On September the 12th 2021, the Lodge The Hilleel Lodge of Amsterdam organ-
started with a tour around the Jewish ised a series of events, one of them being
quarter of Lviv, given by Olga Lidovska, an event focused on famous synagogues
followed by a ceremonial opening of the around the world. The event took place on
newly renovated Koliivshchyna Square, the 12th of September 2021 and included
as well as a presentation of the exhibition two concerts of the Hungarian Trio - Pál
with the same focus. Hermann Ensemble, as well as two lec-
tures given by architect Berend van der
In the afternoon, an event named “The
Lans.
Secret of Golden Rose” began, based on a
quest around medieval Lviv.
Then after, another tour was offered, this B’nai B’rith UK

time sorrounding the Jewish district. The B’nai B’rith UK always offers a very full
tour guide was Alexander Trostyanitsyn. program of events for the European Days
of Jewish Culture and Heritage and this
The event was concluded by a concert of
year is no exception.
Jewish songs in the Synagogues Square.
One of the many events organised by
BBUK was the panel discussion on Dia-
logue, the central theme of this year’s Eu-
ropean Days of Jewish Culture. This event
took place on the 24th of October 2021
and was hosted with BBUK’s partners -
Jewish Renaissance. All of the panelists
were well-known and highly respected in
their fields of
expertise,
the reason
why the title
given was
‘The history
of interfaith
dialogue
through cul-
ture, art, lit-
erature and
politics’.
KESHER DAY
by Henry Dunant Lodge - Geneva, Switzerland
On the 18th of March, Henry Dunant Lodge Françoissinger and Léonard Bernstein.
initiated its Kesher Day of 2021. Margot Leboyer enchanted everyone with
a concert on Jewish themes. The event
The day started with a conference in-
took place within Geneva’s Community
cluding the Kaddish, done by Maurice
Synagogue and was recorded via Zoom.
Ravel, as well as a discussion with Rabbi
SPEAKERS:
H.E. Meirav Eilon Katharina von Doron Tenne David J. Michaels

Shahar Schnurbein Executive Security and Director of UN and
Ambassador of Israel to European Commission Cyber A
ffairs Director at Intercommunal
the UN Coordinator SICPA SA Affairs at B’nai B’rith
on combating International
antisemitism and
fostering Jewish life
Metin Arditi Pierre Assouline Guy Ben-Porat Raphaël H Cohen

Writer Journalist and Writer Professor and Chairman Businessman
of Ben-Gurion and Professor
University’s
Department of Politics
and Government
Laurent Dutheil Jeremy Lack Danièle Laufer Michel Lejoyeux

Lawyer and Writer Lawyer and Specialist Journalist and Writer Professor of Psychiatry
in Alternative Dispute and Addictology at the
Resolution Methods University of Paris
MODERATORS:
Elie Lemmel Catherine Tuil- Irma Danon Philippe Lugassy

Specialist in education Cohen
and family
Teacher and Writer
SOLIDARITY AND INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE
‘HELP FOR SELF-HELP’ CAMPAIGN

by Augustin Keller Lodge - Zürich, Switzerland
This campaign started off in 2020 and During the first wave of the pandemic and
was mainly created in order to help Jews the lock-down, the Lodge also provided
in and around Zurich who had lost their Kosher food to elderly and sick brothers
jobs due to the Corona situation and/or and sisters who could not make the pur-
are looking for work. With the help of the chases for Passover.
Lodge’s network, they were able to place
In addition, during the summer vacations
candidates with employers.
support was offered to Orthodox Jewish
families with vouchers for kosher care.
‘TAKING CARE TOGETHER’

by Nathan E Anna Cassuto Lodge - Milan, Italy and BBE
On the 4th of ber of the Nathan E Anna Cassuto Lodge,

March 2021, the also the current Vice President of the Union
Taking Care To- of Italian Jewish Communities, Brother Dr.
gether brochure Giorgio Mortara. This project consists of a
has been sent out brochure that provided good practices of re-
around Europe. ligious pluralism and spiritual assistance in
health facilities.
Taking Care Together project is one spon-
sored by BBE and was launched by a mem-
MEETING WITH FATHER CHRISTOPHE LE SOURT

by BBF Lodges
B’nai B’rith France organized a Zoom meet- French Bishops’

ing on Thursday, 11th of March 2021, with Conference en-
Father Christophe Le Sourt, Director of the titled “Fighting
National Service for Relations with Juda- together against
ism at the French Bishops’ Conference. anti-Semitism
The conference tackled the importance and anti-Juda-
of Jewish-Christian dialogue in today’s ism” was also
society, which is increasingly fractured brought to light
by hatred. The recent declaration of the within this event.
ADVOCACY
PETITION ON ICC
by Tolerancia Lodge - Bratislava, Slovakia
The International Criminal Court recently In May 2021, the Lodge of Tolerancia, head-
opened an official probe against Israel for ed by Peter Werner, started a petition ad-
alleged war crimes committed during and dressed to the ICC, with the aim of in stop-
since the 2014 rocket war with Hamas in ping such misjudged accusations against
Gaza, as well as Israel’s actions to build Israel. This initiative was done together
and maintain Jewish communities in the with a good partner of the Lodge, with a
West Bank and eastern Jerusalem. branch in Slovakia - ICEJ (International
Christian Embassy Jerusalem).
MEMORY
WE REMEMBER CAMPAIGN
by Lodges in Europe
B’nai B’rith Europe joined the International campaign “We

Remember” of 2021, launched by the World Jewish Con-
gress. Through this campaign, Lodges all across Europe
photographed themselves holding a paper with the hashtag
#WeRemember on it.
The ”We Remember” campaign implied writing #WeRemem-

ber on a piece of paper, taking a photo of yourself or of your
Lodge group with your #WeRemember sheet and sending
the photo to BBE’s office.
A last step was to post the photo on social networks (Face-

book, Twitter,...) using the hashtag #WeRemember.
Participation in this campaign has reached higher numbers

than ever before. BBE Executive Committee members, BBF members, the Budapest
Lodge, as well as the Slovak Lodge of Concordia, amongst others, joined the action.
HONORING OF SAINT-MARTIN-VÉSUBIE,
VILLAGE OF THE RIGHTEOUS
by B’nai B’rith Côte d’Azur Lodges - Côte d’Azur, France
On Sunday, the 17th of January 2021, the Côte d’Azur re-

gion of B’nai B’rith France, chaired by Laurent Setbon,
organized a beautiful evening in homage to Saint-Mar-
tin-Vésubie, the village of the Righteous, devastated by the
bad weather last autumn.
Aviva Diana, president of the B’nai B’rith Lodge of Cannes

and of the culture commission of the Côte d’Azur region,
and Denis Sibony, vice-president of the Moshe Dayan Lodge of Nice, shared the history of
the Jews of the region during the Second World War and the magnificent and courageous
role of the inhabitants of Saint-Martin-Vésubie in saving many Jews who had come to
hide there.
BBE LEADERS
A selection of pictures of BBE Leaders
BBE Leaders 86
Peter Breuer Magda Vadasz Jossif Assa Raphael Chichek

President of Vice President of President of Carmel Mentor of Carmel
Budapest Lodge Budapest Lodge Lodge Lodge
Solomon Bali Beki Asher Secretary Emil Magriso Pavel Eshkenazi

Vice President of General and Treasurer Member of Board Member of Board
Carmel Lodge of Carmel Lodge of Carmel Lodge of Carmel Lodge
Reni Pilossof Zelma Almaleh Benny Unterschlag David Jegger

Member of Board Member of Board Mentor of Denmark President of
of Carmel Lodge of Carmel Lodge Lodge Edmond Fleg Lodge
87 BBE Leaders
Alain Barthes Michel Elkaim David Kratz Oliver Bloch

Mentor & Treasurer of First Vice President Secretary General of Secondary Vice President
Edmond Fleg Lodge of Edmond Fleg Lodge Edmond Fleg Lodge of Edmond Fleg Lodge
Isabelle Ehrlich Hilleel Lodge - from left to right: Eron Wolf Treasurer , David Cohen Paraira
Guard of Edmond Secondary Treasurer, Hanny Schatz Vice President, Orlando Heijmerink
Fleg Lodge President Michael Swartz Secretary General Franklin Weisz Mentor
Joe Abeni Jose Iacobescu Eva Galambos Iosiper Manole

Mentor of Nathan E President of Moses Secretary General of Mentor of Moses
Anna Cassuto Lodge Rosen Lodge Moses Rosen Lodge Rosen Lodge
BBE Leaders 88
Henry Wechsler From left to right: Sergiusz Kowalski - Vice Dr. Andràs Kain
Vice President of President of Polin Lodge, Andrzej Friedman - President of Raoul
Moses Rosen Lodge President of Polin Lodge Wallenberg Lodge
Marina Polewski- Garry Wolff Nathan Kotek Claudia Löw

Akselbant Responsible with Secretary General Treasurer of Raoul
Responsible with Culture Social issues of Raoul of Raoul Wallenberg Wallenberg Lodge
of Raoul Wallenberg Wallenberg Lodge Lodge
Lodge
Michael Kortmann Monica Shevack Esther Kotek Pavel Traubner

Responsible with Responsible with Vice President of Honorary Life
Politics of Raoul Youth of Raoul Raoul Wallenberg President of
Wallenberg Lodge Wallenberg Lodge Lodge Tolerancia Lodge
89 BBE Leaders
Peter Werner Juraj Alner Juraj Stern Ludovit Fischer

President of Mentor of Past President of Past President of
Tolerancia Lodge Tolerancia Lodge Tolerancia Lodge Tolerancia Lodge
Eva Salnerová Aviva Diana Jacques Sicherman Francine Coen

Past President of President of Chalom President of Elie President of Emile
Tolerancia Lodge Cannes Lodge Bloch Lodge Zola Lodge
BBE Leaders 90
TRIBUTE TO RABBI BENT MELCHIOR Z’’L
Bent Melchior was President of the BBE Danish Committee for Bosnia and was a
Continental from 1993 to 1999. Descended member of the executive of the National
from six generations of rabbis who have Council for Refugees. Afterwards, he was
lived in Denmark for almost three centu- particularly prominent in helping Sovi-
ries, when his father Marcus Melchior died et Jews in the 1980s as a member of the
in 1969, he naturally succeeded him as World Conference for Jews in the USSR:
Chief Rabbi of Denmark. He was born in “I was an upside-down refusenik. The
1929, the same year as Anne Frank, as he Soviet authorities refused to give me an
liked to recall. entry visa for fear I would bring about rev-
olution” (he stated in
Like most Danish
L’Arche, 1998).
Jews, he was able to
survive thanks to the After the fall of the
heroic behavior of his Berlin Wall, he be-
fellow Danish Chris- came involved in the
tians. This is how he reconstruction of Jew-
forged his philosophy ish communities freed
of life: “I survived the from the communists.
Holocaust. You can’t He mobilized, in par-
imagine how much ticular, the Scandina-
I appreciate every day”. After the end of vian lodges. Thus, in February 1990, the
the war, he joined the Haganah, the de- first Conference on Jewish Communities
fense army of the young Jewish state, in the Baltic States was held in Tallinn,
and participated in the guerrilla war of thanks to the efforts of Bent Melchior. The
independence. He then returned to Den- Stockholm Lodge offered a school bus to
mark, where he continued to be active in the Jewish community in Vilnius.
Zionist organizations, becoming Rabbi of
Once he was elected BBE Continental
Copenhagen in 1963, then Chief Rabbi of
president, he encouraged the actions led
Denmark in 1969.
by some lodges in the West, which wanted
His commitment to good causes went be- to twin with others in the East.
yond the limits of the Jewish community
On the 28th of July 2021, the world lost
as he was involved in many humanitarian
one of the greatest humanists out there.
causes and against Apartheid in South Af-
Rabbi Bent Melchior’s memory will forever
rica, against the intervention of America
be cherished and will be a blessing.
in Vietnam, and against the dictatorship
in Argentina. He was also chaired in the
A publication of
Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO)
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DECEMBER 2021
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What is the message from the President about?

What is the message from the President about?

What values does B'nai B'rith promote according to the President?

What values does B'nai B'rith promote according to the President?

B.H.

B’nai B’rith Europe

Message from the President  02

BBE PROJECTS AND EVENTS 63

LODGES EVENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS77

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Chers Sœurs et Frères,

Je suis heureux de vous présenter l’édition

Notre quatrième édition du “Livre des Loges

Je veux ici remercier chaleureusement tous

A FEW WORDS ON B’NAI B’RITH

ABOUT B’NAI B’RITH EUROPE

MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE

Serge Dahan Daniel Citone

Solomon Bali Valerie Achache Andre Ouazana

Monica Barzilay Bjork Gunnar Francine Coen Felicia Waldman

Eric Engelmayer Tomas Kraus Michael Naor

Philippe Meyer Stephane Teicher

MAP OF B’NAI B’RITH EUROPE

Countries with Lodges

LIST OF B'NAI B'RITH EUROPE LODGES

9 Austria, Wien : Zwi Perez Chajes 9 Switzerland, Geneva : Henry Dunant

Neuilly sur Seine: Haïm Nahman Bialik Toulon : Levinas

History The main aims of the enlightened founding

Walls and strongholds are useless if no one

History Direction Board

rights and minority rights and to promote

After 1944 there were attempts of re-es-

Since then, the Lodge reopened its activities Vice President

History Direction Board

History Direction Board

History Direction Board

History Direction Board

History Direction Board

Deputy Secretary General

9 Promotion of Jewish life Treasurer

NATHAN AND ANNA

History Direction Board

History Direction Board

History Direction Board

9 Promotion of the Italian Jewish culture

History (The project has been organized under

9 Organising a Zoom meeting of the Board

History President, from the show “The greatest

History Direction Board

History Direction Board

Activities Alain Barthes

EVI UND SIGI

History Direction Board

History Direction Board

History Direction Board

Activities Secretary General

History Direction Board

History Direction Board

Since September 2020 it is presided by

Message from the President 02

BBE PROJECTS AND EVENTS 63

LODGES EVENTS AND HIGHLIGHTS77

9 Austria, Wien : Zwi Perez Chajes 9 Switzerland, Geneva : Henry Dunant

9 Promotion of Jewish life Treasurer

9 Promotion of the Italian Jewish culture

9 Organising a Zoom meeting of the Board

9 Promoting Jewish history, culture and