Transcript for speech delivered by Eileen Brookman at gathering of B'nai B'rith, 1960s

MADAM CHAIRMAN, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: AS I LOOK AROUND THE ROOM I FEEL THAT I AM HOME - BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY FAMILIAR FACES HERE THIS AFTERNOON. IT BRINGS ME BACK TO MY YOUTH, AND HOW IT TAUGHT ME TO KNOW THERE ARE INIQUITIES IN THIS WORLD THAT I LIVE IN THAT I COULD HELP CHANGE FOR THE GOOD OF ALL PEOPLE. MY BECOMING IMBUED WITH B'NA: B'RITH AND THE EARLY TRAINING GIVEN ME BY MY PARENTS AND MY FAMILY WHO HAVE BEEN AND 'l* STILL ARE VERY MUCH INVOLVED B'NAI B'RITH ACTIVITIES , BROUGHT ME TO THIS POINT IN MY LIFE - BUT AGAIN IT ALL STARTED WITH B'NAJ B'RITH. THERE WAS A WHOLE LOT OF HELP FROM MANY OF YOU SITTING RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM TODAY THAT CONTRIBUTED TO BRINGING LEADERSHIP TO ME. BEING A WOMAN OF B'NAI B'RITH IS AN"HONOR" ISN'T IT? THE B'NAI B'RITH WOMEN'S PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS ARE DESIGNED TO FOSTER UNDERSTANDING, COMMUNICATION AND RESPECT AMONG ALL GROUPS: INITIATE INFORMED SOCIAL ACTION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AND PROVIDE JEWISH EDUCATIONAL OPPOR-TUNITIES FOR ADULTS AND YOUTH. B'NAI B'RITH WOMEN SEEK ATTAINMENT OF THE FOUR FREEDOMS THROUGH SERVICE, THROUGH PATRIOTIC AND EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS, AND THROUGH INVOLVEMENT IN LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY LIFE. ASSURING M M M * TO KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMEBODY WORKING FOR YOU ALL OF THE TIME - COMBATTING ANT I-SEMATISM, BIGOTRY, EXPOSING HATE MOVEMENTS, BATTLING INVASION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. THAT IS THE ANT I-DEFAMATION LEAGUE OF B'NAI B'RITH WHICH IS ALWAYS WORKING FOR ALL OF US SO THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING CAN HAVE A BETTER LIFE. THE AGENDA OF OUR TIMES ARE BEING WRITTEN IN THE "GHETTOS" AND THE RESERVATIONS OF TODAY, AND I CAN THINK OF NO BETTER ORGANIZATION THAN B'NAL B'RITH WHICH IS THE OLDEST AND THE LARGEST JEWISH ORGANIZATION THAT HEEDS THE CALL AND SERVES ALL HUMANITY. I THANK YOU'! DEAREST AUNTIE DAISY (?) YOU PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO EXCUSE ME IF I INCLUDE MY UNCLE P.H.) AUNTIE DAISY YOU HAVE BEEN TO ME, FROM MY EARLIEST REMEMBRANCE A "GUIDING LIGHT." I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF YOU AS A SECOND MOTHER, AND SOMETIMES EVEN LIKE MY REAL MOTHER. IT MAKES ME FEEL SO VERY PROUD TO BE INSTALLING YOU AS THE IN-COMING PRESIDENT OF YOUR CHAPTER OF B1T!A1 B'RSTH. AUNTIE DAISY YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A WOMAN OF ACHIEVEMENT - YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN AWARE OF THE "MORAL COMMITTMENT TO THE HUMAN NEEDS." IT WAS BUILT IN YO YOU OF ALL PEOPLE IN MY LIFE HAVE PASSED IT ON TO ME. YOUR DUTIES AS PRESIDENT ARE GOING TO BE MANY AND VARIED. YOU HAVE TO OVER-SEE ALL OF THE DUTIES OF THE CHAPTER - YOU "CHAIR" AT ALL OF THE MEETINGS, A ND I MIGHT REMIND YOU AT THIS POINT THAT A GOOD PRESIDENT IS ONE WHO HAS THE CAPACITY TO RELEGATE THE WORK-LOAD FROM FUND RAISING TO B'NAI B'RITH PHILANTHROPY'S CIVIC WORK TO MANY FAR REACHING AREAS OF NEED. YOU CAN SIT BACK AMD SEE THAT THIS IS DONE BY "OVER-SEEING" IT ALL. YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BE THIS KIND OF A PRESIDENT AND LEADER. MY HEART GLOWS WITH PRIDE FOR YOU. MAY I BE THE FIRST TO CONGRATULATE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY........AND NOW 1 DULY INSTALL YOU PRESIDENT MADAM CHAIRMAN, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS AND LADIES AND<XEMTLEMEN: AS I LOOK AROUND THE ROOM ! FEEL THAT I AM HOME - BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY FAMILIAR FACES HERE THIS AFTERNOON. IT BRINGS ME BACK TO MY YOUTH, AND HOW IT TAUGHT ME TO KNOW THERE ARE INIQUITIES IN THIS WORLD THAT I LIVE IN THAT I COULD HELP CHANGE FOR THE GOOD OF ALL PEOPLE. MY BECOMING IMBUED WITH B'NA: B'RITH AND THE EARLY TRAINING GIVEN ME BY MY PARENTSAND MY FAMILY WHO HAVE BEEN AND STILL ARE VERY MUCH INVOLVED B'NAl B'RITH ACTIVITIES , BROUGHT ME TO THIS POINT IN MY LIFE - BUT AGAIN IT ALL STARTED WITH B'NA.| B'RITH. THERE WAS A WHOLE LOT OF HELP FRUM MANY OF YOU SITTING RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM TODAY THAT CONTRIBUTED TO BRINGING LEADERSHIP TO ME. BEING A WOMAN OF B'f'AI B'RITH IS AN1 "HONOR" ISN'T IT? THE B'NAl. B'RITH WOMEN'S PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS ARE DESIGNED TO FOSTER UNDERSTANDING, COMMUNICATION AND RESPECT AMONG ALL GROUPS: INITIATE INFORMED SOCIAL ACTION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AND PROVIDE JEWISH EDUCATIONAL OPPOR-TUNITIES FOR ADULTS AND YOUTH. B'NAl B'RITH WOMEN SEEK ATTAINMENT OF THE FOUR FREEDOMS THROUGH SERVICE, THROUGH PATRIOTIC AMD EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS, AND THROUGH INVOLVEMENT IN LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY LIFE. ASSURING ISN'T IT TO KNOW THAT THERE IS SUMEBODY WORKING FOR YOU ALL OF THE TIME - COMBATTING ANTI-SEMITISM, BEGOTRY, EXPOSING HATE MOVEMENTS, BATTLING INVASION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. THAT IS THE ANT I-DEFAMATION LEAGUE OF B'NAl B'RITH WHICH IS ALWAYS WORKING FOR ALL OF US SO THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING CAN HAVE A BETTER LIFE. THE AGENDA OF OUR TIMES ARE BEING WRITTEN IN THE "GHETTOS" AND THE RESERVATIONS OF TODAY, AND I CAN THINK OF NO BETTER ORGANIZATION THAN B'nai B'RITH WHICH IS THE OLDEST AND THE LARGEST JEWISH ORGANIZATION THAT HEEDS THE CALL AND SERVES ALL HUMANITY. I THANK YOU!! MADAM CHAIRMAN, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: AS I LOOK AROUND THE ROOM I FEEL THAT I AM HOME - BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY FAMILIAR FACES HERE THIS AFTERNOON. IT BRINGS ME BACK TO MY YOUTH, AND HOW IT TAUGHT ME TO KNOW THERE ARE INIQUITIES IN THIS WORLD THAT I LIVE IN THAT I COULD HELP CHANGE FOR THE GOOD OF ALL PEOPLE. MY BECOMING IMBUED WITH BHiAL B'RITH AMD THE EARLY TRAINING GIVEN ME BY MY PARENTS AND MY FAMILY WHO HAVE BEEN AND I ^ STILL ARE VERY MUCH INVOLVED B'NAI B'RITH ACTIVITIES , BROUGHT ME TO THIS POINT IN MY LIFE - BUT AGAIN IT ALL STARTED WITH B1 NA.| B'RITH. THERE WAS A WHOLE LOT OF HELP FROM MANY OF YOU SITTING RIGHT HERE IN THIS ROOM TODAY THAT CONTRIBUTED TO BRINGING LEADERSHIP TO ME. BEING A WOMAN OF B'KAI B'RITH IS AN"HONOR" ISN'T IT? THE B'NAI B'RITH WOMEN'S PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS ARE DESIGNED TO FOSTER UNDERSTANDING, COMMUNICATION AND RESPECT AMONG ALL GROUPS: INITIATE INFORMED SOCIAL ACTION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY, AND PROVIDE JEWISH EDUCATIONAL OPPOR-TUNITIES FOR ADULTS AND YOUTH. B'NAI B'RITH WOMEN SEEK ATTAINMENT OF THE FOUR FREEDOMS THROUGH SERVICE, THROUGH PATRIOTIC AND EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS, AMD THROUGH INVOLVEMENT IN LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY LIFE. ASSURING ISN'T IT TO KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMEBODY WORKING FOR YOU ALL OF THE TIME - COMBATTING ANTl-SEMATISM, BEGOTRY, EXPOSING HATE MOVEMENTS, BATTLING INVASION OF HUMAN RIGHTS. THAT IS THE ANT I-DEFAMATION LEAGUE OF B'NAI B'RITH WHICH IS ALWAYS WORKING FOR ALL OF US SO THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING CAN HAVE A BETTER LIFE. THE AGENDA OF OUR TIMES ARE BEING WRITTEN IN THE "GHETTOS" AND THE RESERVATIONS OF TODAY, AND I CAN THINK OF NO BETTER ORGANIZATION THAN B'nai B'RITH WHICH IS THE OLDEST AND THE LARGEST JEWISH ORGANIZATION THAT HEEDS THE CALL AND SERVES ALL HUMANITY. | THANK YUU'!