Rise In Anti-Semitism May Bring More Anti-Masonic Attacks With It

by Christopher Hodapp

Weekend vandalism at the Oleeta-West Dade Masonic Center in Miami Springs, Florida, is a stark reminder that Masonic buildings—and the Brothers who gather in them—are increasingly becoming targets in today's volatile climate.

Late last week (Friday night into early Saturday morning), surveillance video captured a young man climbing onto a low roof ledge to reach and badly damage two exterior signs at the Masonic center. The footage, shared by WSVN-TV7, shows the suspect pulling himself up to get at the sign and twist one expensive sign off the wall. Damage has been estimated at around $3,000. 

Thankfully, Miami Springs police acted quickly: 20-year-old Brian Guanche was charged with one count of burglary of an unoccupied dwelling and one count of criminal mischief. He's since bonded out, but the incident is under investigation.

This wasn't some random act of mischief—it's part of a troubling pattern. Over the last few years, there has been a noticeable uptick in violent attacks, arsons, and vandalism against Masonic buildings around the world, with more than a few tied directly to antisemitic motives. We've seen lodges targeted in places like Florida, Pennsylvania, Illinois, New York, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and even Vancouver (where one arsonist hit three buildings in a single morning, causing millions in damage). Overseas, halls in Ireland and Greece have faced similar assaults, and doubtless there have been many more that simply have not hit the news services. Some perpetrators have acted out of bizarre delusions—like believing Masons placed curses on them or controlled minds—while others have been fueled by outright hatered.

That hate often bleeds over from the dramatic and alarming rise in anti-Semitism across the United States (and beyond) in recent months, especially since the outbreak of the war involving Iran. Unfortunately, Freemasonry is getting swept up in the crossfire. Our symbolism—drawing from ancient Jerusalem, King Solomon's Temple, and Old Testament imagery—has been twisted into anti-Jewish conspiracy theories since the 19th century. It doesn't help when historical figures like Pope Leo XIII, influenced by the admitted hoaxes of anti-Catholic prankster Léo Taxil in the 1880s-90s, lumped Masons in with phrases like "Synagogue of Satan" (originally from the New Testament letters, referring to persecutors of early Christians who falsely claimed Jewish identity). Leo clearly bought into the nonsense that a bunch of middle-aged Protestant gentlemen cosplaying as Old Testament figures in ritual were somehow undermining the Church. That old canard still echoes today.

And right now, it's getting amplified by noisy voices with big platforms. Candace Owens, who has somehow amassed nearly three million YouTube subscribers by peddling increasingly outrageous claims, has ramped up her attacks on Freemasonry. Owens (a recent convert to Catholicism) is a certifiable attention-seeker at this point, jumping on every fringe theory that drives clicks and eyeballs—whether it's moon landings, celebrity deaths tied to "sacrifices," or wild Masonic plots. 

Similarly, Shawn Ryan has leaned into kookball anti-Masonic conspiracy content on his show, hosting guests who push debunked nonsense about "Masonic Bibles" and secret influences. Countless lesser imitators follow suit online.

I don't care where you fall on the political spectrum—left, right, or somewhere in the never-never land in between. Spreading this stuff is dangerous. My wife and I wrote a book on conspiracy theories years ago, and Owens is a textbook example of madness given a megaphone and free rein on the internet. There's no filter of responsibility anymore: anybody can launch a podcast, build a persona, and attract an audience of the credulous or the angry by using sensationalistic 'made you look' tactics. There are no qualifications required. People who swallow her brand of "research" don't just nod along—they act. We've already seen real-world consequences, including threats, violence, attacks on our buildings, and worse. 

Texas Freemason Robert Wise was murdered outside of his lodge in 2023 precisely because of this delusional thinking. His killer told police that he shot Wise because Masons were "devil worshiping Illuminatists."

With geopolitical tensions boiling over and antisemitism surging, we have to be vigilant. Masonic temples aren't fortresses, but Brothers and lodge officers need to take practical steps: review security cameras, lighting, and alarms; coordinate with local law enforcement; avoid leaving valuables or regalia visible; and report suspicious activity immediately. Most of these incidents happen at night when buildings are empty, so proactive measures can make a real difference.

Freemasonry has endured worse for centuries, and we'll keep doing what we do—meeting in peace, practicing brotherly love and relief, and building better men. But ignoring the threats won't make them disappear. Stay aware, stay safe, and let's look out for one another.

If you're a Mason reading this, talk to your lodge about security. If you're not, but you value fair-minded institutions that promote charity and moral improvement, know that the same bigots targeting synagogues and Jewish communities are increasingly turning their gaze toward Masonic halls too.

Accused Chattanooga Masonic Hall Attacker Faces Federal Charges

by Christopher Hodapp

Kadum Harwood (photo above), the suspected arsonist who attacked the Chattanooga (Tennessee) Masonic Center in September has now been indicted on two federal felony counts by a U.S. grand jury. This is in addition to charges filed by Hamilton County, Tennessee of harassment, burglary, vandalism/malicious mischief, arson and reckless endangerment.

The Chattanooga Masonic Center before the attack

According to the website for WDEF-TV12: 

"The indictment says Harwood 'maliciously damaged and destroyed… by means of fire and explosive materials, the Chattanooga Masonic Center.' 

The second count of the indictment was for traveling from Georgia to Tennessee to commit arson."

Prior to the attack on the center, the 29-year-old Harwood had posted messages on his Facebook page threatening to burn down the Masonic hall. One read, "I think I'm going to burn the one downtown. I am going to make an example of all FMs (Free Masons)."

At about 2:00 am on September 4th, surveillance cameras showed a man who resembles Harwood breaking into the center, setting a fire outside of the door, taking a sledgehammer to interior walls, and firing off a 'large caliber' rifle. After the fire, Harwood fled south across the state line to Graysville, Georgia and was arrested after posting the location of a motel in which he was staying. Bomb making equipment and explosives were reportedly found in his home by police.

Before the fire, the Masonic Center was shared by Temple Lodge 430, Chattanooga Lodge 199, John Bailey Nicklin Chapter RAM 49, and Lookout Commandery 14. I haven't seen any recent online postings of the center's rebuilding status.

Brethren, be vigilant!

Attacks against Masonic buildings and Freemasons themselves have been increasing in the U.S. and all over the world over the last 18 months. Conspiracists, anti-Masonic, anti-Jewish, and anti-Israel radicals frequently link Freemasonry with Judaism, often because of our symbolism regarding Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. With the current war raging (and doubtless escalating) in the Middle East, Masons need to be aware worldwide. Anti-Masonic rhetoric has been showing up in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. 

If your Masonic hall doesn't have cameras and a monitored alarm system, it needs to be considered right now, whether you are in a downtown area, a quiet suburb, or even in an isolated rural lodge. Exterior doors need to be locked once meetings start, parking lots need to be lit up like the face of the sun, and any online threats or paper flyers found threatening your lodge or local Masons need to be reported to law enforcement immediately. Do NOT shrug them off as simply crazy.

Yes, it's that serious.

Outpouring of Sympathy and Support for Grand Lodge of Israel

by Christopher Hodapp

In the wake of the horrific terrorist attacks on Israel this past weekend, the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel AF&AM has posted a statement on its Facebook page acknowledging the enormous outpouring of support by the world's Freemasons. 

Click the image below to enlarge.

It reads:

Sunday, October 8, 2023

Dear Brothers of all the world.

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for the letters and phone calls from all over the world of fraternal support and solidarity during these challenging times in the State of Israel. It is truly moving to receive so many expressions of identification with the Grand Lodge of Israel, its Dear Brethren, and the entire populace in Israel.

We find solace in being part of this worldwide movement where fraternal unity among Dear Brothers transcends all forms of hatred. Our Grand Lodge serves as an exemplary illustration of this, as we have Dear Brothers from all faiths, races, languages, and countries living together in harmony with genuine brotherly love.

We have received unwavering support from our Dear Brothers living in the North, who stand in solidarity with the Dear Brothers and families residing in the South. Our building is soon to be opened and made available to those in need, and we are voluntarily bringing our Lodge of Magicians to entertain the children. This is how a fraternal society is built, and we are the ones who must lead the way.

Thank you for your attention.

Sincerely and fraternally.

M.W. Bro Man Segev, Grand Master 

R.W. Bro Jose Cohen, Grand Secretary

The official seal of the Grand Lodge of Israel includes a Star of David, a Christian cross, and a Muslim crescent, all superimposed over a Masonic square and compass and encircled by a Chain of Union. The Grand Lodge was established in 1953, and the country has almost 50 lodges at work today. Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Druse brethren all work together, and their various holy books are all opened side by side on the lodge altars. Despite decades of violence in the Middle East centering around the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, finding a better illustration of of true brotherly love in that nation would be difficult.

Vegans, Vinyl and Masonic Aprons

"The lambskin, or white leather apron, is an emblem of innocence and the badge of a Mason..." 

So goes the Masonic description of the aprons we Freemasons wear in the rituals commonly used throughout North America and most of the world.

Like nearly everything else in Freemasonry, the white lambskin apron is symbolic of a pure, spotless and unblemished character to which we all aspire to achieve in our own lives. It comes from the Torah/Old Testament accounts of the Passover sacrifice of the paschal lamb, which was to be a young, unblemished male lamb or goat. In Christianity, Christ was called the Lamb of God by John the Baptist, and His crucifixion, death and resurrection fulfilled the Passover sacrifice by dying for the sins of the world.

And so, our Masonic lambskin is emblematic of the lamb's symbol of innocence and purity.  It is given to us as Entered Apprentices, and we are told to wear it throughout an honorable life, to keep it unspotted and unblemished by the world, and that it is to be laid to rest with our eternal remains when we pass away.

A peculiar article appeared in The Scottish Sun yesterday, announcing that the Grand Lodge of Scotland has broken its 280-year tradition and is now "allowing vegans" to join the fraternity by permitting *gasp* vinyl Masonic aprons. 

Exclamation point.

Who knew vegans WEREN'T allowed to join in Scotland? I'm no pescatarian, but something seems fishy about this story. It's either a solution in search of a minor brouhaha, or somebody had a slow news day and tried to manufacture a headline.

VEGANS will now be allowed to become Freemasons in a move that has seen the Grand Lodge of Scotland change centuries-old traditions.

For years, masons have work lambskin aprons while taking part in rituals - but a vegan alternative is now being offered.
Lambine, an artificial fabric that imitates lambskin, is available for those wishing to join the Lodge without using animal products.
A spokesperson for the Grand Lodge, which once included Robert Burns in its ranks, said there were no reason why vegans could not join the 280-year-old fraternal organisation. 

In a social media post seen by The Times, they said: "Many lodges now use vinyl [aprons]. Please remember that it is symbolic and does not need to be real."
And the Freemasons' sister organisation down south, the United Grand Lodge of England, has been allowing vegans and vegetarians to use lambine for decades. 
"Our Districts, which are spread across areas such as Asia and Africa include thousands of members from a variety of religions which are primarily vegetarian.
"Since the 1960s both vegan and vegetarian Freemasons of the United Grand Lodge of England have been able to use lambine regalia, which is made from a high grade, soft feel plastic as an alternative to traditional regalia.
"We sold 1,200 lambine aprons in 2019 and 1,900 traditional aprons so they are a popular options here."

However, some masons were not too keen on the idea of breaking tradition.
Speaking to The Times, Gordon Kilgour, a lodge member from Glasgow, said: "In the address to the apron would the ritual be changed from 'You will observe that it is made from the skin of a lamb' to 'You will notice that it is made of vinyl?"
And Sotiris Sakellarios, a Greek mason, said: "Some traditions and symbolism should remain intact."

[snip]

A spokesperson said: "We have 200,000 members and a 300 history of welcoming people from all walks of life, regardless of their race, religion, sexual orientation or socio-economic position in society.

I hate to break it to the Sun, The Times, Brothers Kilgour and Sakellarios, or anyone else, but non-lambskin Masonic aprons have been around since at least 1717 and probably before. While there are early, oddly-shaped white leather Masonic aprons in museums, many of the earliest surviving American and European aprons from the mid-1700s are silk, and often hand-painted with extensive decoration. 

Different from Scottish, English and European traditions, it's common in the U.S. for a Mason to be given a plain, white lambskin apron as an EA — frequently with a storage tube for safekeeping — that he never again wears after his MM degree conferral. Instead, American lodges usually provide stacks of plain, white cloth aprons to members and visitors for general lodge meetings, and only officers have more elaborate aprons that accompany each position. Our original leather apron is meant to be stored away until our death, and our families are to be informed of what is to be done with it when we depart for the Celestial Lodge.

As for the vegan glories of "Lambine,"  white vinyl Masonic aprons have been marketed in the US for decades. Vinyl's been around for a long time - it was developed in the 1930s, and vinyl leather substitute was marketed under the name of Naugahyde starting in 1936, along with the mythological 'Nauga." 

 The J.P. Luther Company in Wisconsin (where they raise plenty of sheep, by the way) has been selling aprons made of "Luthertex" for well over 30 years now, and probably longer. In truth, vinyl aprons are far more durable and long-lasting than actual lambskin, which is very susceptible to yellowing and cracking. Examining hundred year old lambskin aprons that haven't been stored very carefully can be a depressing exercise, because the leather dries out when improperly stored. It's also devilishly difficult to clean if it gets stained, marked or scratched. Vinyl is also considerably less expensive the lambskin leather. And it survives being rolled up or folded in a small apron case or tube better than the real macoy does.

So I suspect the large proportion of vinyl vs. leather aprons sold as cited in the article has almost zero to do with welcoming vegans into Freemasonry and almost everything to do with budget and practicality. Nevertheless, if this dramatic change of heart brings unforeseen hordes of vegan petitioners pounding on the doors of Scotland's venerable lodges heretofore kept away by our perceived cruelty to sheep, who am I to scoff?

Jordan and the Endless Resurrection of the 'Protocols'

I hate reruns.

With a perfectly solemn and straight face, the Prime TV network in Jordan last month aired a purportedly serious three-part program that examined the good ol' Protocols of the Elders of Zion and once again declared it as "proof" of Judaism's plot to dominate the world. Jordanian film director and commentator Ayed Alqam appeared between April 3rd and 17th, droning about the secret plans of Jews the world over to incite violence, create ISIS, wreak inflationary economic havoc on Middle Eastern countries, and other similar idiocy. Portions of his programs have been translated and posted online at the outstanding resource site of MEMRI.com, the Middle East Media Research Institute.

Freemasonry is outlawed in the vast majority of predominately Islamic nations throughout the Middle East, with the few notable exceptions of Lebanon, Morocco, and Turkey. Because Freemasons are seen as agents of pro-Israeli Zionism, conspiracy theories about Masons are rampant throughout Islamic communities.

One of the most common sources of such theories originates in a pamphlet that has been widely distributed for more than a century. In 1905, a notorious piece of propaganda called the Protocols of the Elders of Zion became a big hit in Russia. You may not have heard of it before, but you surely know the punchline by now. In it, a secret meeting is described of a group of Jews discussing their world domination plans, with the Freemasons as their accomplices.

The Protocols are the origin of a widely supposed “conspiracy” of a secret group of Jewish bankers who control the world’s governments, economies and religions. According to various versions of the Protocols, Jews are behind a plan for world conquest, and use Freemasons as their willing stooges. Jews and the Masons control the press and the courts, and Jewish revolutionaries use liberalism to weaken religion and governments. Jewish intellectuals confuse the common people, and they replace traditional educational curriculum to discourage independent thinking, and encourage immorality among children. They use their international banking monopolies and the use of credit to destroy the economy, favoring paper currency not tied to the gold standard. Jews and the Masons control governments from behind the scenes by blackmailing politicians. And during times of great emergencies, Jews will suspend civil liberties and then secretly make the measures permanent.

The Protocols were written as a handy how-to sourcebook to explain all the troubles in the world that the Russians saw brewing when their Revolution broke out that would bring an end to the Czar and his family and totally upend the rest of Eastern Europe. It had been cribbed from a much earlier source that was circulated after the French Revolution in the 1790s, but back then it had started out not blaming the Jews, but the Freemasons and the Illuminati for that one. In the 1840s, it got co-opted with the villains changed to the Jesuits. By 1864, it was plagiarized again, and the secret plans were being hatched not by Freemasons, Illuminati, Jesuits, or Jews, but as a conspiracy hatched by Napoleon III, and presented as a conversation conducted in Hell between the Emperor and Machiavelli...

Bits of an anti-semetic Prussian tale got folded into it in the 1870s, and it started to congeal into a more cohesive format that finally settled on the Jews as the cause of all the planet's problems. Cobbled by Hermann Goedsche, a spy and forger working for the Prussian secret police, he framed the story as being about a secret meeting of a "Council of Representatives of the Twelve Tribes of Israel" in which a series of "protocols" were outlined to alter world history. 

By the 1870s, it had made its way into Russia, and in the 1890s, the Okhrana, the Csar's secret police force, adapted the tale as a tool to use to prevent reformers in the country from weakening Nicholas II's authority (and their own). During the notorious Dreyfuss Affair in France between 1893-5, a Russian working for the Okhrana in Paris named Matvei Vasilyevich Golovinsk reworked the whole thing again, and gave it the name most closely related to its modern version: Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion.

An inventive Russian author named Sergei Nilus republished it in 1905 with his own twists, and in a 1911 reprint, he revealed it was about a secret meeting of French Freemasons in cahoots with Jews. But in 1917, he decided to intertwine the previous mess with a very real event to give it that extra kick of authenticity. The Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland back in 1897 actually did take place, and had been widely reported in the news. Plenty of Christian clergy and even politicians had attended the conference, and it was at that meeting that a Jewish organization was formed to purchase land in Palestine for the eventual creation of a Jewish homeland. That part was very real, on the historical record, documented in the press, and very widely known. Nilus' merging of the earlier Protocols with the Congress meeting reports into a phony set of meeting minutes outlining world domination made a captivating fable for a credulous public seeking an excuse for their own social chaos. After the Revolution broke out, it started selling like hotcakes. Or baklavas. Russians began the wholesale slaughter of Jews when the Revolution kicked off in 1917.

Henry Ford was so captivated by the Protocols that he imported it to the U.S. and published it in his Detroit newspaper in 1921. By the late 20s, it had been translated into Arabic and started trickling across the Middle East. In Germany, Kaiser Wilhelm II was such a fan that he regaled dinner guests by having excerpts read with their brandy and cigars. By the time Adolf Hitler came to power, he was influenced by the Protocols' fables as justification for his plans to annihilate the Jews. Freemasons were also on his hit list, and they too were sent to concentration camps under the rationalization, “All Masons Jews — All Jews Masons!”

The Protocols have been rewritten and circulated for over a century, and today they can be found all over the Internet, posted by a wide range of conspiracy-believing groups and scribblers. Modern cranks like the notorious Texe Marrs regularly trot them out for a walk around the block in their ramblings, despite the fact that their source has been widely debunked since the 1930s. 

The Protocols remain extremely popular in Islamic countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, but especially the Palestinian territories, where they are distributed as official texts for school children to study. In 2002, a multi-part docu-drama was produced for several Arab language TV networks based on the Protocols, entitled Knight Without A Horse. There are many other organizations, including the American Nation of Islam, some militia groups, the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, and the American Nazi Party who still peddle the Protocols as fact.

So now, the Jordanians have apparently hopped on board the Protocols bandwagon.

According to the Anthropological Mason website, Jordan's former king, Hussein bin Talal (father of the present King Abdullah II) was a Mason. He was:

initiated into the mysteries of Freemasonry on May 17, 1959 in Amman Jordan. The Worshipful Master for the degree was Most Worshipful Hanin Kottini who was the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Lebanon and Honorary Grand Master of the Grand Orient of Italy. Then, King Hussein was again initiated on October 20th, 1963 in Amman during a private ceremony arranged by W.Bro Jan Onderdenwijngaard, an influential Dutch Freemason who was active in Jordan and Past Master of Lodge Via Lucis no. 161, the Hague, under the Grand Orient of the Netherlands. Onderdenwijngaard passed on in 1973 after a distinguished and yet at times tumultuous career in the craft where he straddled both sides of the fence of regularity. King Hussein went on to pursue an active membership in the Grand Lodge of Lebanon and Arab speaking Countries, and he subsequently became the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Jordan. He also joined the Grand Orient of Italy's Sovereign Sanctuary of the Ancient and Primitive Rite of Memphis-Mizraim Rite.

Alas, Freemasonry actually at work within the country of Jordan is all but non-existant today. There are just two known, regular, recognized lodges, but they operate quietly for obvious reasons.

(For more than you'll ever want to know about the twisted history of the Protocols and their sources, have a look at the entry on the Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon website, with extensive footnotes.)

Palestinian is Grand Master of Grand Lodge of Israel AF&AM

Over the last week or so, political news in the U.S. has been filled with headlines about Israel. President Obama called for a return to Israel's 1967 borders. President Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back and explained why such a move would be a suicidal act of madness. Meanwhile, President of the Palestinian National Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, has embraced partnership with the terrorist group Hamas, whose leadership continues to vow to eviscerate the Jews and push them all into the sea. And next door over in Egypt, in the midst of the much vaunted "Arab Spring," Coptic Christians are being slaughtered in the streets and their churches burned.

With all of that going on, it is perhaps a faint glimmer of light in that part of the world that shines from the seal of the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel of Ancient, Free & Accepted Masons. That single image contains the Hebrew Star of David, the Muslim crescent, and the Christian cross, along with the square and compasses of Freemasonry. In all of the Middle East, it is in the Masonic lodges of Israel where men of all faiths regularly put aside their differences and seek to meet each other on the level as true brethren. The Grand Lodge of Israel has approximately 1,200 members who comprise at least five major religions and meet in 56 lodges, working in ten languages.

On January 25th, Most W:.B:. Nadim Mansour was installed as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Israel 2011-2013. He is a Greek Orthodox Palestinian Arab, who was born in Haifa, and moved to Acre at the age of 5. He was initiated as a Lewis in 1971 into Lodge Akko, a lodge of which his father was a founding member. In 1980, he was elected Master of his lodge. He is also a 33rd degree Mason in the Ancient & Accepted Rite, where he is Grand Orator of the Supreme Council, State of Israel.

GM Mansour is the third Palestinian Arab to serve as Grand Master of Israel since the 1950s.

A belated Mazel Tov is in order.

See this extensive website for more information about Freemasonry in Israel.