Łukasz T. Sroka

The initiative of establishing B’nai B’rith in Lvov was put forward by Samuel Horowitz,
a prominent member of the local Jewish community. On 5 October 1899, the statute of the “Leo-polis” Humanitarian Society was registered with a rescript issued by the Lvov Governorship. On 29 October of the same year, the establishing meeting took place. This way, the Order’s presence in what was at the time the capital of Galicia, and after 1918 a provincial city of the Second Republic of Poland, was officially approved.
This analysis offers an image of an organization gathering people of high social trust, excellent educational background, and wealth. The majority of them were people who had built their professional position consistently and laboriously. The abovementioned data justifies the claim that the people gathered in Leopolis were not careerists seeking the chance to make a mark. Membership did not open their careers, but was rather a crowning achievement. The exclusive character of the Order sealed the high social and professional standards of its members. Crossing the threshold of the lodge was viewed as a distinction, and serving a function there was a true honor. In this matter, we can see a similarity between Leopolis and other Polish lodges. Another similarity is related to the range of basic activities undertaken by the Lvov brethren, among which was giving scientific and popular lectures, propagating reading, and caring for the poor and the orphaned. The charity activity of the brethren was mainly aimed at Jews, but Christians became its beneficiaries as well.

In the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th, many Jews belonging to high society and undertaking freelance occupations began to assimilate with their usually Christian environment. This was often a necessary prerequisite (also legally) for their social advancement. Nevertheless, their assimilation was rarely complete. In most cases, it was only partial and concerned clothes, everyday habits and education. The change in religion did not become a mass phenomenon in either Europe or America – quite the opposite. This limited assimilation was testament to the Jewish attachment to their religion, regardless of the centuries-long life in the Diaspora. Although numerous changes had occurred in the world, many of the rules respected by Jews throughout history remained valid. For instance, in their hierarchy of importance, education remained higher than wealth