Israelite Board
B’nai Adath is, and shall be, affiliated with The International Israelite Board of Rabbis. The Israelite Board is the leading umbrella organization of congregations of Jews of African descent across the country and the world. It also is the parent organization for our rabbinical seminary, the Israelite Academy.
B’nai Adath is proud to have hosted within its Synagogue building major events within the Israelite movement. In 2016 Rabbi Capers Funnye was invested as Chief Rabbi of the Israelite Board of Rabbis in our synagogue home. For many years our building served as the Brooklyn campus for the Israelite Academy, and we provided resources and workspace to Israelite organizations that focused on meeting the needs of the members of the Israelite movement. In the 1980’s we hosted the Unity Shabbats in which Israelite congregations from across the country came to worship together. In the 1970’s, B’nai Adath was the site where the International Israelite Board of Rabbis, and the Israelite Rabbinical Academy (now the Israelite Academy) were reformulated after the death of the Chief Rabbi Wentworth Matthews z’l’.
Community Board
B’nai Adath partners with other not-for-profit and religious organizations for the betterment and improvement of our Bed Stuy neighborhood. We are particularly close with the church across the street, Open Door Church of God, in providing food and help to our neighbors. We extend our mission by helping people in need within the Congregation and its local Brooklyn community through Synagogue based community outreach programs that have included, coat drives, food pantries, soup kitchens, counseling and other community-based services.