Newly-elected Grand Master offers rare peek into Israeli Freemasonry

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Newly-elected Grand Master offers rare peek into Israeli Freemasonry
With over 15,000 members, Israel's lodges follow and honor the best of Freemason traditions, but are also unafraid to ruffle some feathers by advocating to keep up with the times and begin accepting women into the secret society.
https://www.israelhayom.com/2022/08/04/newly-elected-grand-master-offers-rake-peek-into-israeli-freemasonry/

SURE, THEY'RE GOING TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, AREN'T THEY.   

Two women walking down the street in Tel Aviv approach a man dressed in a fancy tuxedo, an apron, and white gloves, and ask him where the ceremony was taking place.

"What ceremony?" Ilan Segev replies, seemingly taken aback by the question. He then speeds off and enters a nearby building, and then an event hall, where a thick curtain conceals the event unfolding behind it – Segev's appointment ceremony as grandmaster of the Freemasons in Israel.

The secrecy is, of course, understandable. Next year marks the 70th anniversary of Freemasonry in Israel, with members known to deny their affiliation with the secret society altogether, let alone share the location of a meeting.

Did you know, for instance, that the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was a Freemason? As was the former chief rabbi of Haifa, the late Rabbi She'ar Yashuv Cohen.

The oldest fraternal organization in the world, the Freemasons were established for mutual help and fellowship and hold elaborate secret ceremonies. They have a complex system of degrees, symbols, and secret handshakes and communicate using visual symbols drawn from the tools of stonemasonry that date back to the 10th century CE.

In Israel, there are 15,000 Freemasons or "brothers" as the members call it, scattered across 50 lodges, from Nahariya in the north to Eilat in the south.

Already in his opening speech, Segev dropped a bombshell by advocating for the acceptance of women into the organization.

"The world has changed since the Grand Lodge of England was founded in 1717. In 2022, we cannot ignore that women make up half of the population, and there is a real need to examine the possibility of making a change.

"There is no doubt that the principles of Freemasonry speak to every person regardless of religion, race, or gender. I have a number of ideas that I will present to the Grand Committee of the Grand Lodge, and then we will open it up for discussion in the order."

Taken aback, the listeners cannot help but whisper to each other, discussing the move that would be nothing short of a revolution.

Three Masonic degrees

A week after the ceremony, I meet Ilan again in Jerusalem, in a regular setting. A sign on his door says "Insurance and finance, financial gerontologist," a profession less exciting than being the head of a secret society in Israel.

"I was asked whether we rule the world, and I said that we only rule a part of it," Ilan begins jokingly, to break the ice. "We control the important things – ourselves. Traditional and theatricality also play an important part. After all, when you go to a play, you don't just listen to what is being said, you also expect there to be costumes and decorations.

"By us, it's that as soon as you enter the office and close the door, you leave the ravages of time behind. You enter a world of spirit and creativity. You make a switch in your brain. Cellphones are prohibited in our ceremonies, so for two-three hours, you are only with yourself, without the wife and the children. You have time for self-reflection."

Q: Why the secrecy?

"I say that everything is revealed. Today, you can see everything on the Internet, but if you look, you won't understand. Secrecy is necessary because we have a special form of a request for international help, a handshake only known among us. The moment there is such a handshake, I know exactly who stands in front of me.

One time, "I arrived in New York and was at the airport's immigration department. I always have a Freemasonry symbol on my jacket. Suddenly, the immigration official stood up – he was a big, black guy – hugged me, and said, 'Brother, welcome to the US.' He was a Freemason like me.

A friend of mine, who passed away at the age of 103, once told me that "after the signing of the peace agreement with Egypt, he traveled to the country and his suitcase was stolen. What did he do? He used the international distress signal. A police officer approached him, asked him what happened, and asked what hotel my friend was staying at, and lo and behold, the suitcase arrived there shortly after."

Q: An international distress signal?

"Every brother knows it, and anyone who is a Freemason will understand that I need help. No one else will."

For those interested in how one can join the secret society, here are the criteria: You must be a man, over the age of 21. If you come from Freemasonry lineage, you can apply as early as 18. You will then have to fill out an application form, and if someone who is already a member recommends you, your chances are even better.

"It takes between six to eight months to join," Ilan said. "First, the candidates fill out an application form, then we meet with them, and then we have what is called the 'white table,'" which is not part of secret activities, but involves going to cafes or to a restaurant, which guests – and certainly candidates – can attend.

"We speak with the candidates, ask them questions, then ask them to introduce themselves. I try to figure out who this person is, his goals, and why he came. If two people in a lodge oppose someone joining, then that person will not be accepted. We also visit the candidate's home, to get to know the environment, and ask his wife if she agrees. We don't conceal things. We check that you are an honest and decent person."

Elia Ben Canaan, 37, a strategic consultant and owner of a productions business in Ramat Gan, remembers his lengthy application process into the society.

"It took over a year and a half. I wasn't sure what motivated me to continue to attend those 'white table' meetings all that time. But it's probably the energy of the place because you can see a 30-year-old high-tech worker sitting at the same table with an 80-year-old, and wonder what they have in common. What they can possibly be talking about.

"You feel the camaraderie, and it attracts you. One of the most important things a friend told me was not to ask preliminary questions, not to google or read in the media because it will only ruin it for me. So I didn't. Moreover, I didn't even tell my wife in the beginning, because I didn't know how to explain it to her.

Elia joined the Freemasons in 2017 after a friend from the IDF told him about the secret society. Today, he serves as its spokesman and also has a position in the Tel Aviv lodge, of which he is a member, and his duties include guiding new members.

Every lodge has a minimum of 15 members, of which seven are employed. The lodge is headed by the president, followed by the first and second inspectors, guard, and gatekeeper. Each has its own significance and hierarchy and ceremony.

There are also three ranks a Freemason can reach: entered apprentice, fellowcraft, and master mason. Part of the society's secret rituals revolve around welcoming new members into the order, or when they rise in rank.

"To move up a rank, you have to meet several criteria," Ilan explained. "You have to have listened to a certain amount of lectures about Freemasonry, write an assignment with the help of instructors, and pass a test, which requires preparation.

"It's a text that you learn and you can ask the brothers questions about it. As soon as we agree that a member is active and progressing, I can move him up a rank, and the lodge has to vote on it. If they decide that the work is unworthy, he will have to prepare another one."

A large part of a Freemason's work is ceremonial. The fancy and colorful uniforms have a special significance. A Freemason cannot begin his work without wearing his apron, which, among other things, tells others about his status and role in the society.

Ilan explained, "The gloves, for instance. Who were the original Freemasons? Men who worked with a hammer and a chisel, whose hands were rough and calloused. So you put on a glove so as not to scratch the other person. With a glove, even if your hand is calloused, everyone is equal."

Q: What do you speak about behind closed doors?

"Philosophy of life, and how to progress in it. We have levels that you go from one to another, and you learn things that help in life. I understand the principle that I was born against my will and will probably die against my will, and how I, Ilan, approach life and do something with it that is meaningful for me, my family, and my work. Everyone takes it where they want."

Elia added, "You acquire tools that help you deal with life through instructions that weren't invented today, but have been passed down for hundreds of years, and still work today. After all, the world is instant, it's all about the here and now. No one is interested in philosophy anymore, and meaningful friendships are hard to create.

"Freemasons accept you as you are. If I could spread this magic touch to every person, and put them into a Freemason's cube, I am sure they would behave much better.

"I definitely feel the change in myself. I got married and became a father. I can say that the manner in which I act, with morality and values, has sharpened. There is no doubt about it."

Besides the rituals, the society also values charity. It grants scholarships to students, donates equipment for students in need, and promotes the distribution of food parcels to the hungry.

"The most important commandment as far as the Freemasons are concerned is charity," Ilan said.

In order to be a Freemason you must, of course, be of the right age, but an equally important and non-debatable criterion is belief in God or a higher power.

Ilan continued, "We refer to God by three names: the supreme builder of the universe, the supreme engineer of the universe, and supreme over all. You can say you don't believe in God but believe in a higher power, that's fine. If you believe that the world did not create itself, and there is someone in charge, then you understand that life has a purpose. And if you wake up every morning with a purpose, you will do things that are good for you and mankind.

In a Freemasonry ceremony, the Bible, Koran, and the New Testament are all displayed to emphasize that everyone in the society is equal. Indeed, it includes Jews, Muslims, and Christians. To avoid friction, a decision was made not to bring religion and politics up, and as such, one can find members who are left- and right-wing, Israelis alongside Palestinians from east Jerusalem.

"Let me show you a message I got from an Arab member who invited his brothers for a barbeque," Ilan said, pointing to a Whatsapp message on his phone. "He said he would buy kosher meat for observant Jewish members. We are close, we hug and kiss, and I don't even know who the others vote for. We have brothers who are gay, and once I value them as human beings, what do I care what they do at home?"

Q: Do members adhere to not talking about politics?

"Some are members of political parties, and that's alright, but as soon as they enter the lodge, no one knows whether you're Jewish, Christian, Druze, or Muslim. It is of no interest to me. And let me tell you something amazing: most of my close friends are Freemasons, and I have no idea who they vote for because I never ask. It's none of my business. There are even settlers who come to the lodge and hug Arabs. You understand that when there is no religion or politics, everyone can live together in peace and serenity."

Itsik Weinberg, 70, a dentist from Herzliyah, has been a Freemason for over 30 years. He remembers the day he joined the society as if it happened yesterday.

"I've been through many things in my life, but the first ceremony I'll never forget," he said. "More than any other ceremony I did in the military or at school. From a spiritual point of view, it is fulfilling, and don't worry: no one is sacrificed at the ceremony."

According to Ilan, new members, especially those originally from the Former Soviet Union, always ask whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is a Freemason. Although that is what the rumors say, Ilan insists that it is not true, based on information from Freemasons in Moscow.

"A lot of guys join these days influenced by Dan Brown's books, and it's been good for us, as it aroused interest," Ilan said to my surprise. "Yitzhak Rabin and King Hussein were, for example, members of the same lodge in the US. After all, when Rabin died, what did Hussein call him? 'Brother.' He called him so because they belonged to the same lodge.

Lodges in Israel are run according to the rules of the Grand Lodge of Britain, which is considered "the mother of all lodges," as those 180 lodges in various countries worldwide. As such, the matter of allowing women to join the society must first be approved by the Grand Lodge.

Women are not currently accepted, Ilan said, but "it may change. I am working on it. There are lodges in France that have opened up for women already. I'm thinking of a certain model, which I won't go into details about now, but I want women to play a big role in the society. When Freemasonry was first established, women didn't work, they stayed at home. In 2022, the world is different, and we must progress."

Ilan continued, "A well-known and respected woman once told me, 'I am angry because you exclude us.' I told her that there are places that don't accept men either. There are places that don't accept men, and there are places that don't accept women. In today's reality, there must be combinations."

Q: What do you mean by that?

"I wouldn't have women do full activities right away, but to integrate into the order first. I hope that within a few months you will see a change. I respect our tradition, I live by it, and I hope to achieve an international change" in this regard.

Q: Who do you think would have a hard time with such a change?

"Some members have been part of a lodge for decades, and at first, they were afraid to say where it was, because for them it is important to keep it a secret. I guess they would find such a change difficult, but I was surprised when I got a dozen phone calls from members asking why we haven't thought about it earlier, and younger members were particularly excited.

"What will happen for sure I do not know, but through a process, I believe soon women will also be able to be Freemasons. I said during the ceremony, 'freedom, equality, and brotherhood. Love, help, and truth.' Any knowledgable person can accept these values. That is why we will have to change the system and adjust the constitution."

Itstik, who is president of the Dan lodge, also supports the change.

"If an 18-year-old girl today can learn to use a submachine gun and fly a plane, then she can probably be a Freemason too. This is the first time that the great president wants to open the ranks. Today the world is dynamic, and if we start with this in Israel, it will spread."

Nevertheless, Ilan says that things might not go smoothly.

The Great Lodge "can take away our recognition. If a lodge is not recognized by them, then there are no international connections.

"I was recently in Romania and met presidents and officials from Europe, and we have a dialogue. When I was elected, I got a call from the great presidents of France and Australia, who told me 'Australia stands with you.' Ultimately, the change is inevitable. We will find the point of balance with women, and youngsters, and we will break conventions.

"I visit places in the world, and they welcome me as if they have known me all my life. In the modern world, there is a lot of loneliness, which is not like that by us. A person feels that he is a part of something good. Knows that when he comes to the office he sits with people who chose them, who checked their background, and that they are suitable for him. There are young people, students, judges, journalists, and rabbis. You can advance in terms of knowledge and advance personally. People travel to India to find themselves – here you find yourself close to home."