Grand Lodge of the State of Israel

The Grand Lodge of the State of Israel (Hebrew: הלשכה הגדולה למדינת ישראל), in full "The Grand Lodge of the State of Israel of Ancient and Accepted Freemasons," is the umbrella organization of regular Freemasonry in Israel. It is a registered association (amuta) that unites the country's active Masonic lodges, which are spread from Nahariya and Nazareth in the north to Eilat in the south. According to its official website, the Grand Lodge was founded in 1953 and describes itself as a fraternal order promoting the ideals of social brotherhood, mutual aid, charity and morality, derived from a Supreme Being. Its stated aim is to make good men better. The Grand Lodge functions as the sovereign Masonic authority for its territory, recognized by more than 100 grand lodges worldwide, and maintains fraternal relations with regular Masonry globally. Its lodges work in ten languages, including Hebrew, English, Arabic, French, Spanish, Turkish, Russian, Portuguese, German and Romanian, and its membership includes Jews, Christians, Muslims and Druze. The official website lists figures such as 12,000 brothers in Israel, while the Hebrew Wikipedia article states that about 1,200 members are currently active under the Grand Lodge, spread across roughly 50 active lodges. The Grand Lodge is structured hierarchically. The Grand Lodge itself, comparable to a parliament, consists of all regular brothers who have reached the rank of "President" (Master); it meets about four times a year, receives reports and approves decisions brought to a vote. The Grand Committee, comparable to a government, is composed of senior office-holders, meets monthly or bi-monthly, and formulates decisions for the Grand Lodge. About 15 committees (for example, finance and ritual committees) operate under the Grand Committee. The constituent lodges, known as daughter lodges, are part of a large international order recognized by the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland, so their members (called brothers) may visit meetings of all lodges recognized by the United Grand Lodge of England. Each lodge is headed by a President (Master) assisted by officers holding ceremonial and organizational roles; the term of office for the President and officers is two years. Beyond ritual work, the Grand Lodge and its lodges engage in community activity, including personal involvement of brothers and financial donations through funds and associations belonging to the lodges. Areas of activity include support for children and youth in distress, the disabled, soldiers, old-age homes, hospitals, prisons, the fight against drugs, environmental protection, scholarships for pupils and students, and support for needy families. The Grand Lodge is a member of the international Masonic community but, like other grand lodges, it is sovereign and autonomous within its territory; there is no unified international governing body, and international ties exist mainly at the level of grand masters.

Freemasonry in the Land of Israel dates back to the 19th century. The first Masonic lodge founded in the Land of Israel was "Reclamation" lodge, established by Robert Morris, a former Grand Master of Kentucky in the United States, in 1868 in Zedekiah's Cave in Jerusalem. It was composed of Freemasons who were staying in the Land of Israel and had come from various parts of the world, such as the archaeologist Charles Warren. In 1891, the lodge "La Port du Temple" (The Gate of Solomon's Temple) was founded in Jaffa by French engineers who had come to build the Jaffa–Jerusalem railway; it attracted Jews and Arabs from among the local notables, changed its name over the years to "Barkai," which still exists today, and is considered the oldest active lodge in Israel. Subsequently, additional lodges were founded under the sponsorship of grand lodges of France, Scotland, Turkey, England and Egypt. On 9 January 1933, the "National Grand Lodge for the Land of Israel" was established by seven lodges and consecrated by the National Grand Lodge of Egypt. Not all lodges then operating belonged to it; some still worked under the sponsorship of the Grand Lodge of Scotland, the United Grand Lodge of England, the Symbolic Grand Lodge of Germany Abroad, and other grand lodges. On 20 October 1953, in the hall in the YMCA building in Jerusalem, the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel was founded by the Grand Lodge of Scotland, headed by its former Grand Master, the Earl of Elgin and Kincardine. At this event, all the active Freemasonry lodges then in Israel (30 lodges) united and established the umbrella body that represents them to the world. It has been recognized by more than 100 grand lodges worldwide and has woven fraternal ties throughout the Masonic world. The first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel was Shabtai Levy, former mayor of Haifa. Since its founding, the Grand Lodge has served as the sovereign Masonic authority in Israel, coordinating the work of its constituent lodges and representing Israeli regular Freemasonry internationally. Its lodges operate in multiple languages and include members from diverse religious and ethnic backgrounds. The Grand Lodge continues to be active in community service alongside its ritual work.

• 1953

  On 20 October, the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel founded in Jerusalem by the Grand Lodge of Scotland; 30 active lodges united.

• 1933

  On 9 January, the "National Grand Lodge for the Land of Israel" established by seven lodges and consecrated by the National Grand Lodge of Egypt.

• 1891

  Lodge "La Port du Temple" founded in Jaffa by French engineers; later renamed "Barkai," the oldest active lodge in Israel.

• 1868

  First Masonic lodge in the Land of Israel, "Reclamation," founded by Robert Morris in Zedekiah's Cave, Jerusalem.

Fraternal order promoting social brotherhood, mutual aid, charity and morality; sovereign Masonic authority in Israel recognized by over 100 grand lodges worldwide.

1. 1הבונים החופשיים - אתר הלשכה הגדולהfreemasonry.org.il
2. 2אודות הבונים החופשיים - הבונים החופשיים - אתר הלשכה הגדולהfreemasonry.org.il
3. 3Grand Lodge of the State of Israel - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4הלשכה הגדולה למדינת ישראל - ויקיפדיהhe.wikipedia.org