B Nai B Rith

BERLIN -- A delegation of young Jewish Americans from B'nai B'rith leaves Germany today after finding the neo-Nazi chaos they expected exaggerated, the small Jewish community surprisingly vital and the chief of staff of the German army fascinating.They come away from a "snapshot" fact-finding mission of five days cautiously positive about German democracy, but stressing the need for continued vigilance."The reports of chaos in Germany are greatly exaggerated," said Steve Gutow, executive director of the National Jewish Democratic Council.

Sidney H. Schreter, a retired necktie manufacturer who twice was president of the Beth Jacob Congregation and the Abraham Schreter Lodge of B'nai B'rith, died Sunday of heart failure at Sinai Hospital.Services for Mr. Schreter, who was 88 and lived in the Strathmore Towers Apartments, were held yesterday at the Beth Jacob Congregation, of which he and his father, Abraham Schreter were founders.He also was a founder of the B'nai B'rith Lodge named for his father and had been named an outstanding lodge president by the state organization of B'nai B'rith.

Contemporary artists of the former Soviet Union have become increasingly well known in the West over the past decade, and a dozen of the most respected are featured in "Here and There: Then and Now" at Washington's B'nai B'rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum.Some of the artists are Jewish and some are non-Jewish but focused on Jewish themes; some live in Russia and some now live in Western Europe or the United States. Their common ground, according to museum director and curator Ori Z. Soltes, is that "each artist necessarily finds the issue of identity at the center of his or her work; the path to that center is as diverse as the vastness of both Soviet and Jewish history would lead us to expect."

Psalmist Christian School celebrates ties to educationThe New Psalmist Christian School is celebrating "A Decade of Dedication to Excellence and Education" with a banquet from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. tomorrow at New Psalmist Baptist Church, 4501 1/2 Old Frederick Road.The school has begun a $50,000 endowment campaign to fund scholarships. Tickets are $25; $10 for alumni. Information: 233-3133.Adams Chapel AME Church plans homecoming serviceThe annual homecoming service at Adams Chapel AME Church will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday.

In a community service project devised by a local student, a band of teen-age girls from Columbia's B'nai B'rith chapter spend Saturdays helping senior citizens with their grocery shopping.The high school girls, who call themselves the "Shopper Hoppers," accompany older women on shopping trips, gather items, carry heavy grocery bags and provide companionship. In cases where a senior is unable to leave the house, the girls do the shopping."I don't think shopping for someone is that big of a deal, but to the seniors, it is," said Aime Kellner, 17, of East Columbia's Long Reach village, president of the girls chapter of Columbia's B'nai B'rith, who came up with the community service idea in September.

When Columbia accountant Stuart Goldman thinks of Christmases past, what comes to mind are wailing sirens, traffic accidents and domestic disputes.Yesterday was no different: Mr. Goldman ended up spending the holiday at the local police station, along with several friends.He was happy about it. So were the police in Howard and Baltimore counties: When Mr. Goldman and his pals are there, a few grateful officers get Christmas Day off.Each year for the past decade and a half, Mr. Goldman and other members of the Jewish service organization B'nai B'rith Columbia Lodge have volunteered to answer the phones to handle non-emergency calls for police, fire and 911 operators in Howard County.

B'nai B'rith marks 150 years of effort for human rightsThe 150th anniversary of B'nai B'rith, the world's oldest and largest Jewish service organization, will be celebrated with a religious service, speech-making, awards presentations and reception at 8:15 p.m. tomorrow at Baltimore's Temple Oheb Shalom, 7310 Park Heights Ave.It will be an evening of proud history and symbolism. Since its founding in New York City in 1843, B'nai B'rith, also known as Sons of the Covenant, has promoted interfaith tolerance and human rights, supported philanthropies such as hospitals and sponsored a host of educational and welfare projects in this country and around the world.

State rules insurance policies can't be canceledMaryland Insurance Commissioner John A. Donaho has announced that the insurance policies of Marylanders serving in the Persian Gulf cannot be canceled while they are on active duty.In a Notice and Order involving more than 1,400 insurance companies licensed to operate statewide, Donaho said life insurance policies "may not be terminated by the insurer because of any military service of the insured, and unless the policy contains war restrictions, benefits under the policy may not be reduced by reason of any loss resulting directly or indirectly from services of the insured in the military, naval or air forces in the United States."

Wartime exigencies hasten divorces, tooThe stories of weddings hastened by the Persian Gulf war are by now familiar, if still bittersweet. Men and women, called up to duty, move up wedding plans so they can marry before leaving.There is a less romantic flip side to this, however: Divorces must be expedited, too.Alice G. Pinderhughes, a master in the city's divorce courts, says several young men have come before her in recent weeks, asking that she waive the waiting period and finalize a pending divorce.

Christian Scientists are celebrating the first 100 years of 0) their denominationChristian Scientists in Maryland are celebrating the first 100 years of their denomination this week.On Sept. 23, 1892, a dozen students of Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, organized what is now known as the Mother Church in Boston and placed its leadership in a five-person board of directors.The following year, the first Christian Science congregation in Baltimore was formed. There are 25 congregations in Maryland today, three of them in Baltimore and six more in the metropolitan area.