JEWISH
ORDERS
B'nai B'rith
International
Originally called the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith, which is
Hebrew for the "Sons of the Covenant," the order was established in
New York City on October 13, 1843, by twelve German Jewish immigrants. It
originally used six degrees, regalia, secret passwords, hand signs and grips,
but these have long since been discontinued. Members of the B'nai B'rith
participated in fraternal regalia in the funeral procession of President
Andrew Jackson in 1845.
The order originally conducted its meetings in the German language, and its
founders drew heavily from the Masonic Fraternity and the Odd Fellows in its
ritual and lodge meeting system. It no longer conducts its meetings in German
or uses degrees, and has discontinued much of its ritual.
The order is organized in lodges for men and also has chapters for women, and
has 250,000 members in 55 countries throughout the world. It is now called
B'nai B'rith International, and is headquartered in Washington, DC.
United Order
of True Sisters
This order for Jewish women was founded in 1846 in New York City by Henrietta
Bruckman, the wife of a prominent New York physician. It was the first women's
order founded in the United States that was strictly for women, and not
affiliated with any male fraternal orders.
The orders still uses secret ritual, degrees and regalia. Initially, the order
conducted its lodge meetings and business in German. In 1892, the first
English language lodge was created. In 1918, the use of German was
discontinued by the order. Its Grand Lodge headquarters are in New York City.
Free Sons of
Israel
This order is the oldest national Jewish fraternal order still in existence.
It was founded in New York City on January 10, 1849, by a group of men who
were Masons and Odd Fellows. Its motto is "Friendship, Love and
Truth." It
still uses regalia, passwords, ritual and is organized in lodges governed by a
Grand Lodge.
The order was originally called the Independent Order of Free Sons of Israel,
and admits both men and women, 18 years of age or older, into its ranks.
Order of B'rith
Abraham
This Jewish men's fraternal order was
first established in New York City on June 12, 1859. It was organized in a
lodge system and provided fraternal benefits to its members such as funeral,
sick and death benefits to survivors of members.
The order suffered a schism in 1887, when several lodges felt that the
governing body of the order was incompetent. The breakaway branch formed the
"Independent Order of B'rith Abraham". This
branch is no longer in existence today, as it merged with the B'nai Zion in
1981. The parent body is now defunct also.
Independent
Order of the Sons of Benjamin
This Jewish men's fraternal order was first established in New York City in
1877. It utilized a secret ritual form of initiation for new members, and was
headquartered in New York City. It was founded by members of the Order of
B'rith Abraham, the Masonic Fraternity and the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, and incorporated some of their ceremonial into their order.
The order also established lodges strictly for women. The order is now
defunct.
Independent
Order of Sons of Abraham
This Jewish fraternal order was founded in New York City in 1892. It was
founded by three men, one a Mason, one a member of the Sons of Benjamin, and
the other a member of the Order of B'rith Abraham.
The order admitted both men and women into its ranks, and was established
in Manhattan and Brooklyn. It offered fraternal benefits to its membership,
such as funeral, death and sick payments.
B'NAI ZION
The B'Nai Zion, or Hebrew for the "Sons of Zion," is a
fraternal benefit life insurance society that was originally founded as the
"Order of the Sons of Zion" for Jewish men in 1908 in New York City.
It was primarily composed of
Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, such as Poland and Russia, when it was
first organized. The organization adopted its present title in 1945. It
operates as a standard ethnic fraternal life insurance society, promoting
Jewish causes as well as providing insurance to its members. In 1981, the
organization absorbed the Independent Order of B'rith Abraham. The
organization publishes the quarterly B'nai Zion Voice as its journal.
A special
"Thanks" Brother Denis P. McGowan who provided the history of these Orders.
Brother Denis P. McGowan is a dedicated fraternalist and student of the
history of American fraternal organizations.
