Service

October 13, 1843: Henry Jones and eleven others found the B’nai B’rith service organization. It is the oldest continually-operating Jewish service organization in the world. From its beginnings in New York City, it has become a world wide organization.

The members were involved in welfare activities, promoting Jewish rights, assisting hospitals, aiding victims of natural disaster, awarding scholarships, and fighting anti-Semitism. They have founded hospitals, orphanages, libraries, senior housing communities. They are a vocal advocate for Israel and against the Diaspora. They have over 180,000 members in more than 50 countries.

Their mission statement includes security and continuity of the Jewish people, defending human rights, combating bigotry in all its manifestations, and providing services to humanity as goals. They aim to unite Jews and enhance their identity via a strengthened family life and education.

There are outside dissidents who have repudiated what B’nai B’rith has done and continues to do. The response from B’nai B’rith is that anti-Semitism is rampant and has been a historical fact for millennium. They maintain that they are a service for good and defense of the State of Israel is an honorable mission.

“Service makes men competent.” – Lyman Abbott

“Service to a just cause rewards the worker with more real happiness and satisfaction than any other venture of life.” – Carrie Chapman Catt

“We should render a service to a friend to bind him closer to us, and to an enemy to make a friend of him.” – Cleobulus

“Service is the rent that we pay for our room on earth.” – Lord Halifax

Also on this day, in 1917 Our Lady of Fatima appeared to thousands.