In the process of digitizing my paper files, I recently stumbled across the following fundraising appeal letter which B’nai B’rith International, at that time the parent organization of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), sent out in 1988 (if you have trouble reading the PDF, the full text of the letter is below):
Bnai_Brith_letterB’nai B’rith got in trouble for sending out this letter: Washington Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Washington Report On Middle East Affairs. They ended up apologizing for one sentence in the letter, “The Arab presence on the college campus is poisoning the minds of our young people,” while insisting that there was nothing wrong with the rest of it.
There is a lot wrong with the rest of it.
Equating pro-Palestinian organizations with “cults” is racist propaganda. So is using “Arabs” as boogie-men to scare Jewish parents into thinking their kids are going to turn against them. The not-so-subtle subtext of “We need your money to help us make sure Jewish kids are sucked into our cult, Hillel, before they get sucked into one of the other ones!” would be laughable if it weren’t for the fact that the net result is generations of Jews who were brainwashed by B’nai B’rith and like-minded organizations into being 100% convinced even now that what Israel is doing in Gaza is “self-defense” and that anti-genocide college protests are “Hamas protests.” Because let’s be honest, that’s the real “cult” here, if indeed there is one.
It is a fortuitous coincidence that I stumbled across this letter in my files in 2025, the year for which, according to this letter, “Harvard University demographers predict that… there will be LESS THAN ONE MILLION Jews left in America.” Well, there are currently around 5.8 million Jews in the United States [ref]. Nothing in this letter was any more accurate than the Harvard demographers’ “prediction.”
Back in 1988, B’nai B’rith was the parent organization of both the ADL and the Hillel Foundation. Since then, both the ADL and Hillel have split off into independent entities which have become even more radical, extreme, and unhinged in their pro-Israel advocacy and demonization of everything Arab. But as we can see from the fundraising letter, this isn’t new; they’ve been like this all along.
I wish I could say that I understood this back in 1991, when this fundraising letter first came to my attention, during a discussion in the Usenet newsgroup talk.politics.mideast. However, back then I was an active Hillel member and a frequent defender of Jews and Israel online, and while a lot of what I was fighting against was real antisemitism, a lot of it was also criticism of Israel which I have since come to realize was 100% accurate. So when B’nai B’rith was accused of being racist in this letter, I wrote to B’nai B’rith and asked them for their side of the story. Here’s what they sent back (again, text is below):
Bnai_Brith_responseAt the time, I accepted their response as reasonable, and as far as I was concerned the matter was resolved. Looking back, I find it hard to understand how I could have been so naive. I’m glad I was eventually able to break free of the brainwashing I grew up with and see the reality of what is and has been happening in Israel and Palestine.
Text of letter sent out by B’nai B’rith
[This is the text of the letter from B’nai B’rith shown in the embedded PDF above.]
office of the president
1640 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 + (202) 857-6553
Seymour D. Reich
(Fragment of fictional letter home from college student:)
Dear Mom and Dad,
I met this guy on campus a few days ago who asked me a lot of questions about being Jewish. We got into a real heavy conversation about Israel, the PLO, Judaism and my religious beliefs. He wasn’t trying to convert me or anything (I think) but he really frightened me. For two hours he and his rommate talked and asked me questions. I couldn’t even talk. I got scared when I started to see his side of the issues. And right now, I’m really confused…..
(End fragment.)
Dear Friend of B’nai B’rith:
What would you do if you received a letter like this?
Every day we are subjected to a deluge of anti-semitic propaganda and even more alarming is the fact that much of this propaganda is directed at the most impressionable of all possible groups — our young students on college campuses across America.
It is not the same brand of anti-semitism we faced when we were in school. This is a deliberate and well-organized campaign to undermine the basic beliefs and values of our young people — our children and grandchildren.
The Arab presence on the college campus is poisoning the minds of our young people.
But it goes deeper than that. Harvard University demographers predict that by the year 2025 — only 37 years from now — there will be LESS THAN ONE MILLION Jews left in America.
Half of our Jewish families have never even been in a synagogue, or for that matter, have never joined a Jewish organization of any kind. Over 40% of young adults involved in cult groups on college campuses are Jewish by birth. And two out of five Jewish children receive no Bar or Bat Mitzvah.
But the question that requires an answer is, “what would you do if you received a letter such as the one above?”
Where would you turn for help?
Fortunately there is another presence on campuses throughout America — a strong presence that not only answers the pressing questions raised by our sometimes confused and often uninformed young people, but also a presence that involves and educates students in the traditions of Judaism.
That presence is B’nai B’rith Hillel!
On our college campuses the B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundations are the focal point of Jewish interest. And there are over 400 college campuses served by B’nai B’rith Hillel today.
And while Arab money is pouring into college campuses all over the United States, B’nai B’rith Hillel is there to combat the attack upon Jewish tradition and culture.
While cults and cultists are lurking around every corner, B’nai B’rith Hillel is there to battle against the very real threats to Judaism.
The dream of Judaism is in danger. Make no mistake about it. You and I are faced with that reality. And I am writing to you today to ask you — indeed urge you — to continue to help me in the fight against the forces that would destroy our Jewish heritage. I am writing to you not only in my capacity as President of B’nai B’rith International, but as one American Jew to another. We must join forces and attack the evil. We must support and defend the real HOPE of the Jewish people — OUR CHILDREN, OUR YOUTH.
The Arabs know that to be true, as evidenced by their activity on our college campuses. Cultists know that to be true and it’s no accident. The best way to effect change in any culture or any religion is to attack the forming minds of that culture, its youth.
B’nai B’rith Hillel has not lost sight of the key to the future. The future of our people has always been and will always be in its children, and B’nai B’rith understands that!
Through its youth programs, B’nai B’rith Youth Organization (BBYO) and B’nai B’rith Hillel, B’nai B’rith shows our young people the importance of being Jewish. It shows them that being Jewish is something to celebrate, to learn about, to share and to cherish.
One-hundred and forty-five years ago the dream of B’nai B’rith in its beginnings, was to promote Jewish survival, to enhance Jewish culture and to advance the contributions of the Jewish people to all humanity. That dream and the commitment to fulfill it has never been more important to the future of Judaism than it is right now!
And B’nai B’rith has not forgotten the commitment.
The college campus may just be the last chance for us to reach our Jewish youth in thier moment of decision!
Perhaps the best way to show just how important the B’nai B’rith Hillel presence on campus has become, is to share with you the comments of Jonathan, a sophomore at San Francisco State University. Some of his friends are Jewish, most are not. A few months ago he came to a Hillel House program called “Mindbusters” — all about cults.
“After the program on cults, I realized that this person on campus who had been trying to get me to come to ‘a very special dinner’ is probably a cult member. And after I went to services at Hillel and to a Shabbat dinner, I realized that I suddenly felt very positive about being Jewish. I feel like I now belong, I feel very comfortable with the kids at Hillel.”
There is a great comfort, a good feeling when you hear Jonathan’s comments. But there are so many more impressionable Jewish college students to help. And B’nai B’rith Hillel must continue to respond to their needs.
Our commitment to Jewish youth is enormous. We must be sure that the right responses are there for our young people when they reach the point of decision in their lives.
— Not at select times, but ALL the time!
Earlier in my letter I said that B’nai B’rith understands. B’nai B’rith Hillel Foundations are responsive to the needs and demands of today’s Jewish youth. And they respond strongly to the forces that would destroy Jewish life.
IN FACT, IT IS A TASK ON WHICH B’NAI B’RITH, LIKE NO OTHER JEWISH ORGANIZATION IN MODERN TIMES, HAS STAKED ITS NAME, ITS RESOURCES AND ITS FUTURE.
But the increased costs of providing essential services for our young people, the greater complexities of life in the 80’s and above all, the danger to the future of Judaism in America are the realities of today’s world that severely strain our resources. And therefore we are reaching out for help from our friends in the Jewish community – friends who care about Jewish youth and the work of B’nai B’rith.
And that’s where YOU come in!
Your gift of $25 — $50 — $100 or more can help us provide the skills and talents necessary to continue to bring our Jewish youth the direction they need.
Join us in the fight against the forces that attack our Jewish heritage. With your help B’nai B’rith will continue to work against the cults, the anti-Semiticsm, the Arab influence and the dissolution of Jewish tradition and culture.
When you help us, you can be sure that your tax-deductible gift will be put to immediate and effective use, so please don’t put my letter aside intending to make a gift later. We need your help now.
Just place your check and the reply card in the enclosed envelope and drop it in the mail.
Do it today. And together we will be able to answer the letter — together, we will provide the answers for our future generations.
| Sincerely,
Seymour D. Reich |
P.S. Remember, because we are committed to youth and to the community, we don’t limit participation in our youth programs to children of B’nai B’rith members….it is our service to the entire Jewish community.
Text of response from B’nai B’rith to my inquiry
B’NAI B’RITH INTERNATIONAL
1640 Rhode Island Avenue, N.W
Washington, D.C. 20036
(202) 857-6600
FAX 202-857-1099
| August 7, 1991 |
Mr. Jonathan Kamens
[address elided]
Dear Mr. Kamens:
Please forgive the long delay in responding to your letter of June 17.
Computers are wonderful, but they also have the capacity to store and distribute erroneous information indefinitely.
The incident you refer to took place almost three years ago. A direct mail organization we employ was asked to produce and mail a fundraising appeal. Their proposed letter passed through our internal approval process even though it contained a sentence which might be construed as racist. A few thousand of the letters had been mailed (primarily to California residents) when a recipient called us to inquire about the language. We re-examined the letter, agreed that it could be misunderstood, and immediately withdrew and destroyed the remainder (most) of the mailing. We obtained a list of the people who had received the original, and wrote to each of them, explaining what had happened and voicing our regret. We did not fire the direct mail firm. We did not issue a public apology. We did examine and change our internal review procedures.
A mistake had been made, and we acted promptly and responsibly to correct it.
Unfortunately, a copy of the letter fell into the hands of an American Arab organization who decided to make a cause celebre of it. They held press conferences, demanded an apology, and sent letters to their rather extensive mailing list of individuals and organizations. They neglected to say that the original letter had reached few people and had been withdrawn and destroyed. In consequence, we received a number of indignant calls and letters; I must say, however, that after being apprised of the facts many of the callers and writers had the good grace to call or write again with apologies of their own.
The irony is that the American Arab organization undoubtedly gave much wider circulation to the letter than we had. And now, it seems, computer networks continue to give life to the overblown and self-serving reaction to a minor incident.
The idea that B’nai B’rith, which has opposed racism and the defamation of all people for 148 years, would knowingly or willingly promulgate a racist sentiment, is simply wrong.
|
Sincerely,
Arthur Shulman |
AS/le
