B’nai B’rith president Label Katz officially inaugurated here last night the B’nai B’rith District Grand Lodge Number 21 for Australia and New Zealand. The new District Grand Lodge consists of more than 1,100 members in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Wellington and Auckland in addition to women’s chapters and youth groups.
Addressing an official banquet marking the event, Sir Eric Woodward, Governor of New South Wales, praised the humanitarian work of B’nai B’rith. In his address at the banquet, Mr. Katz stressed the challenge to Jews in free Western countries such as Australia, England and America to mobilize world opinion against the Soviet Union’s suppression of the cultural life of the Jews in that country. He also pledged B’nai B’rith support for Jewish education as a means of survival.
Other speakers included Moshe Yuval, Israel’s Ambassador to Australia; S.D. Einfeld, a member of the Australian Parliament and president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry; and Judge David Coleman of Los Angeles, B’nai B’rith vice-president. Prime Minister Menzies sent a good-will message to new District Grand Lodge President Hillary Pryer.
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