B'nai B'rith

In June 2021, B'nai B'rith Oporto, Portugal organized at the Holocaust Museum an event for young Jews of various nationalities on “The new challenges” for the modern world, for Israel, for Portugal, for  organizations that combat antisemitism, for the safeguarding of the memory of the Holocaust and for the preservation of the identity of the Jewish people.

The main concerns of young people centered on the rise of anti-Semitism in Europe, the offensive way in which the State of Israel is treated by the mainstream of the media and the possibility of a new Holocaust. The Israeli Ambassador Raphael Gamzou,, present at the event, said that a new Holocaust is impossible while Israel exists, while Ambassador Luís Barreiros, Portuguese representative at the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, affirmed the importance of the IHRA's definition of anti-Semitism.

The Portuguese Minister of State and Economy, Pedro Siza Vieira, in a video message much appreciated by young people, spoke about the history of Portuguese Jews and their contributions to science, politics, culture and commerce throughout the world. Messages from distinguished members of the Portuguese Jewish community (Jacob Safra, Roman Abramovich and Michael Kadoorie) were read and a Kaddish was held for Lady Betty Kadoorie, of Portuguese nationality, who died on the date of the event.

The meeting on “The New Challenges”, which will be repeated annually, was chaired by Charles Kaufman and Daniel Mariaschin from Bnei Brith International, as well as Gabriela Cantergi and Jacob Levi, from B'nai B'rith in Portugal, whose families have a long tradition of belonging to the B'nai B'rith around the world.