Mission Statement
B'nai B'rith International is the world’s oldest and largest Jewish community service organisation, founded in 1843 in New York. B’nai B’rith was established in Australia in 1945; in 1979, the B’nai B’rith District of Australia and New Zealand at its triennial convention created its human rights arm, the B’nai B’rith Anti-Defamation Commission (ADC). The ADC became an incorporated association in 1998, operating principally within Australia but with an ancillary advisory role in New Zealand.
Antisemitism, racism and religious and ethnic vilification have the capacity to do untold harm to human beings in any society. The ADC aims to control the harm caused by people and organisations that engage in or encourage discriminatory behaviour in our society. Equally important, the ADC works to promote those democratic and humane values that serve to prevent such harm.
The ADC supports the following objectives stated in the preamble to the United Nations Charter:
- “to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and
- to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and
- to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, …”
The ADC aims to serve the Jewish and wider Australian community by reducing antisemitism, and combating racism and religious and ethnic prejudice. We seek to secure justice and fair treatment for all people.
The ADC’s efforts at harm prevention and control involve four major kinds of activity:
Gathering relevant information. Accurate and up-to-date knowledge about the people and organisations likely to promote harm is important. We do this by carrying out research on the activities of individuals and organisations that cause harm through their promotion of antisemitism, racism and religious and ethnic vilification. We obtain information by liaising with appropriate government and community agencies both within Australia and overseas.
Supporting victims of antisemitism and other forms of discrimination. We do this by investigating incidents, by providing support and advice to people who have suffered harmful effects as a result of prejudice, discrimination, abuse or assault, and by taking action where appropriate.
Promoting positive community relations. We seek to prevent harm. We do this by working with other agencies to promote humane and democratic values in the Jewish and wider communities and by engaging in community projects that promote cultural diversity, ethnic harmony and religious freedom.
Raising community awareness. The public needs to be informed about those elements that seek to harm our society, and about the need to oppose them resolutely. We do this by providing relevant information to politicians, public servants, journalists and leaders of other religious, ethnic and cultural groups. We support educational activities that encourage people to resist antisemitism and other forms of racism and religious and ethnic prejudice. We disseminate relevant information through newspaper articles, newsletters, reports and public events.
To attain its objectives and carry out these activities, the ADC maintains a professionally staffed office in Melbourne, draws upon the support of numerous volunteers and raises funds from membership subscriptions, personal donations, business and industry sponsors and state and federal government grants | 
Antisemitism 