[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 21366]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        IN RECOGNITION OF THE 160TH ANNIVERSARY OF B'NAI B'RITH

  Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I would like to call my colleagues' 
attention to a very significant milestone for our nation's oldest and 
one of the largest service organizations, B'nai B'rith, which was 
founded on New York City's lower east side in October 1843. Its name, 
meaning ``Children of the Covenant,'' reflects a commitment to unify 
Jewish people everywhere in service to their community and the world. 
On September 7th, in my home State of Michigan, the Great Lakes Region 
of this great organization will celebrate the B'nai B'rith anniversary 
and mark its many achievements in helping others, advocating freedom 
and democracy, and combating racism and bigotry.
  Over the years, B'nai B'rith has been steadfast in meeting challenges 
on many fronts. Motivated in part by core Jewish values such as loving-
kindness to others and peace and justice in the world, it has acted on 
a fundamental belief that all people should be treated with dignity and 
respect. Its members have answered the call to stand against racism, 
persecution, and violence against Jews and others, while working to 
protect basic human rights and preserve justice. B'nai B'rith has taken 
a leadership role during pivotal times in our history. Its members have 
worked to steer our nation on the right path to the benefit of all 
Americans. They opposed General Ulysses Grant during the Civil War when 
he attempted to expel Jews from several states. They urged President 
Theodore Roosevelt to take action in 1903 with the Czar of Russia to 
denounce anti-Semitic violence. And in 1913 after the lynching of B'nai 
B'rith member Leo Frank in Atlanta, B'nai B'rith leaders were moved to 
organize the Anti-Defamation League to battle bigotry.
  Now as an international organization, B'nai B'rith is represented in 
58 countries around the world. It has a full-time presence at the 
United Nations and the European Union in Brussels. It has the proud 
history of having initiated many programs and services, from disaster 
relief, to feeding the hungry, to medical research, to housing for the 
low-income elderly, to Jewish education, to a premier Youth 
Organization and an effective campus outreach for thousands and 
thousands of Jewish college students. B'nai B'rith helped bring war 
criminals to justice, has worked tirelessly for Jewish security around 
the world, and has helped to strengthen the land of Israel. After more 
than a century and a half of innovation and activism, B'nai B'rith is 
stronger than ever and continues to make an important and meaningful 
contribution around the world.
  B'nai B'rith can be proud of its dedication to preserve Jewish 
heritage and promote values that inspire individuals to act in goodwill 
and to shape their communities for the betterment of all. We as a 
nation have benefitted from their extraordinary contributions both here 
and abroad, and I am sure that my Senate colleagues join me in paying 
tribute to B'nai B'rith for 160 years of superior performance in 
serving the needs of generations of Americans and people of nations 
around the world.

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