B'nai B'rith [key] [Heb.,= Sons of the Covenant], oldest and largest Jewish service organization in the world, founded (1843) in New York by American Jews “to provide service to their own people and to humanity at large.” The organization has branches throughout the world. Its divisions include the Hillel Foundation (for Jewish college students), the Anti-Defamation League (a civil-rights organization), and B'nai B'rith Women. B'nai B'rith has about 500,000 members in 58 countries. The national office, located in Washington, D.C., publishes the International Jewish Monthly and other periodicals.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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