B'nai B'rith / Ararat Lodge

Collection

Identifier: Org-0007-001-006

Abstract

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The national B'nai B'rith organization was founded in 1843 to provide financial and social support to members of the Jewish Community. Like other benevolent associations it functioned as a cross between an insurance company, social club, and welfare society.

The Hartford Chapter was founded in 1851. Ararat Lodge #13 of Hartford is considered the oldest continuously existing Chapter in the world.

The first women's Chapter, the Ararat Chapter, was founded in 1940 as an auxiliary of the Lodge. Two other women's Chapters, Asa and Alenu, formed in 1950 and 1955 respectively, but by 1981 all had merged into B'nai B'rith Women of Greater Hartford. There is also a youth branch, the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization. The boys' division of BBYO is called A.Z.A. (Aleph Zadek Aleph) and the girl's branch is BBG (B'nai B'rith Girls).

The earliest minutes of the B'nai B'rith Ararat Lodge were once housed at the JHSGH but were later transferred to the national museum of B'nai B'rith. Therefore, the JHSGH collection is limited in scope. Interested researchers should consult the national museum regarding more in depth resources.

Dates

Creation: 1851-1990s

Biographical / Historical

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The national B'nai B'rith organization was founded in 1843 to provide financial and social support to members of the Jewish Community. Like other benevolent associations it functioned as a cross between an insurance company, social club, and welfare society.

The Hartford Chapter was founded in 1851. The B'nai B'rith Ararat Lodge #13 of Hartford is considered the oldest continuously existing Chapter of B'nai B'rith in the world. . Several suburban Lodges have formed in recent years.

The first women's Chapter, the Ararat Chapter, was founded in 1940 as an auxiliary of the Lodge. Two other women's Chapters, Asa and Alenu, formed in 1950 and 1955 respectively, but by 1981 all had merged into B'nai B'rith Women of Greater Hartford.

There is also a youth branch, the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization. The boys' division of BBYO is called A.Z.A. (Aleph Zadek Aleph).

The Ararat Lodge is a sponsor of various Hillel Chapters at local colleges and universities, but because of the independent nature of the Hillel Chapters, Hillel materials are filed as a separate collection.

The earliest minutes of the B'nai B'rith Ararat Lodge were once housed at the JHSGH but were later transferred to the national museum of B'nai B'rith. Therefore, the JHSGH collection is limited in scope. Interested researchers should consult the national museum regarding more in depth resources.

Full Extent

8 Linear Feet (4 boxes plus 2 minute books, 6 ledgers, 4 scrapbooks, a display poster book, and oversize documents (which have been photocopied and incorporated into the main document files). One additional flat green box holds miscellaneous oversize documents.)