The Raoul Wallenberg Lodge
B'nai B'rith lodge in North West London, United Kingdom
| The Raoul Wallenberg Lodge | |
|---|---|
| Type | Lodge of B'nai B'rith UK |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder(s) | Rosalind Louise Josephs |
| Dissolved | Ongoing as of 2024. |
| Registration ID | Charity number: 1075516 |
| Status | |
| Headquarters | 4 GREENHALGH WALK LONDON N2 0DJ |
| Location | North West London, United Kingdom |
| Area served | |
| Services | |
| Registration | |
| Key people | |
| Website | |
| Remarks | |
The Raoul Wallenberg Lodge is a lodge of B'nai B'rith UK, founded in 1988 and based in North West London.[1] It is also known as the Bnai Brith Raoul Wallenberg Unity Lodge. Named after the Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg who saved thousands of Jews in Budapest during the Holocaust, the lodge organises lectures, social events, visits, and charitable activities to promote Jewish community engagement and tolerance.[1] It forms part of the fraternal network of B'nai B'rith UK, focusing on uniting Jews across backgrounds for cultural, educational, and advocacy purposes.[2]
The lodge maintains a broad membership catchment covering areas including Kenton, Stanmore, Mill Hill, Hampstead Garden Suburb, and extending to St Albans.[1] Its annual programme includes the Raoul Wallenberg Lecture in November, featuring speakers on topics of Jewish interest, alongside varied events such as home-based lectures, theatre outings, concerts, and an autumn barbecue.[1]
History
The Raoul Wallenberg Lodge was established in 1988 as part of B'nai B'rith UK's expansion of lodges in the London area.[1] It honours the legacy of Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish humanitarian recognised for issuing protective documents and sheltering Jews in the Zionist entity-aligned efforts during 1944, before his disappearance in Soviet custody.[1]
The lodge has organised international visits to connect with other B'nai B'rith groups, including trips to Dublin, Berlin, Newcastle, Amsterdam, and Nice in recent years.[1] It participates in broader B'nai B'rith initiatives promoting tolerance and community support.[3]
Note that other Raoul Wallenberg Lodges exist within B'nai B'rith structures internationally, such as in Berlin (founded 1979) and elsewhere, but the UK lodge remains distinct.[4]
Activities
The lodge holds regular meetings and events in North West London venues.[1] Key highlights include:
- The annual Raoul Wallenberg Lecture, often with prominent speakers on Jewish-related topics.[1]
- Spring lodge visits, alternating between European destinations and UK sites to foster connections with local B'nai B'rith groups.[1]
- Social gatherings such as barbecues, theatre and concert outings.[1]
- Educational lectures hosted in members' homes.[1]
The lodge is registered as a charity (No. 1075516) supporting education, health, poverty relief, and overseas aid.[5]
2024
In the year covered by the BBUK Annual Report 2024 (calendar year 2024), the lodge maintained an active programme of monthly meetings (averaging once per month with around 20 attendees despite membership declining slightly from 44 to 38), cultural and educational events, social outings, and charitable giving.[6] Key activities included guest lectures such as Richard Abramson on ‘Reaching for the Stars’ in February, Windy Dryden on emotional psychotherapy in March, Jonathan Bergwerk on Marc Chagall in June, and Judith Kasriel on George Gershwin in July.[6] The lodge held its AGM in May, welcoming two new members with Jack Green as Installing Officer, and organised theatre outings to ‘Visit from an Unknown Woman’ at Hampstead Theatre and ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.[6] The traditional summer barbecue was cancelled due to poor weather, but members enjoyed a substitute visit to Syon House for a tour and picnic instead of the usual Matzah Ramble.[6] The annual Raoul Wallenberg Lecture in November featured Sue Gil speaking on ‘Lithuania to Cambridge’ about her father's life as an international scientist.[6] The year concluded with a festive Chanukah meal and party in December where members shared personal items.[6] Charitably, the lodge donated £1,200, divided between BBUK's projects in Kiryat Gat ('Israel') and aid to Ukraine, with some speakers directing contributions to their preferred causes.[6] These efforts reflect the lodge's ongoing commitment to cultural enrichment, community building, and support for vulnerable Jewish communities amid broader challenges.
People
Trustees
The Raoul Wallenberg Lodge (charity number 1075516) is governed by the following current trustees, as recorded by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.[7]
| Name | Role | Date of appointment | Other trusteeships |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rosalind Louise Josephs | Chair | 1 May 1988 | None on record[7] |
| Lynne Lucas | Trustee | 31 May 2011 | None on record[7] |
| Annette Elizabeth Susan Shain | Trustee | Not specified | None on record[7] |
| Wendy Felice Fishman | Trustee | Not specified | None on record[7] |
| Daniel Eliot Goldwater | Trustee | Not specified | None on record[7] |
No other charities or trusteeships are listed for any of the trustees in the Charity Commission records.[7] The data reflects the position as of the latest available update on the official register.[7]
See also
B'nai B'rith UK Raoul Wallenberg Yad B'Yad Lodge Yitzchak Rabin Lodge
External links
Raoul Wallenberg Lodge page on B'nai B'rith UK website
Notes
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 B'nai B'rith UK, Raoul Wallenberg Lodge B'nai B'rith UK, accessed 19 February 2026.
- ↑ B'nai B'rith UK, About B'nai B'rith B'nai B'rith UK, accessed 19 February 2026.
- ↑ B'nai B'rith UK, Lodges B'nai B'rith UK, accessed 19 February 2026.
- ↑ B'nai B'rith Berlin, Raoul Wallenberg Loge Berlin - Welcome B'nai B'rith Berlin, accessed 19 February 2026.
- ↑ Charity Commission, THE RAOUL WALLENBERG LODGE - 1075516 Charity Commission, accessed 19 February 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 B'nai B'rith UK, BBUK Annual Report 2024 B'nai B'rith UK, published June 2025, pp. 23–24.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 Charity Commission, Trustees - THE RAOUL WALLENBERG LODGE Charity Commission, accessed 19 February 2026.