Twenty-five Jewish organizations, representing almost every major group in the New York Jewish community and a number of rational Jewish organizations, today released a statement expressing their unanimous support of the pending legislation in the New York State Legislature to enact a Fair Sabbath Law. They called upon the members of the State Senate and Assembly to take “forthright and affirmative action at this time” and enact the measures relating to Sabbath observance. The statement reads:
“As a nation of people adhering to many different religious faiths, we owe our strength and unity to the universal acceptance of the uniquely American concept that each citizen should have the right to practice his religion without government interference. Basic to this principle is the mandate that no person should be penalized for adhering to his religious beliefs so long as he does not interfere with the rights of others nor endanger tie public peace or security.
“The present compulsory Sunday observance law in New York State is a serious violation of this mandate. This law, which designates Sunday as a day of rest or worship for the entire community, compels persons who regularly observe a day other than Sunday as a day or rest or worship to abstain from business activity on two days during the week. Fair-play dictates that a person not be subjected to hardship because of the practice of his faith.”
The Jewish organizations pointed out that “the pending legislation would restore the principle of equality for all religions by allowing each citizen to choose the day of rest and worship in accordance with the dictates of his religion.” The New York State Council has voted to request the State Legislature to enact this measure,” the statement emphasized.
The following organizations joined in the statement: American Jewish Congress; Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith; Brooklyn Jewish Community Council; Council of Jewish Organizations in Civil Service; Federation of Jewish Philanthropies Commission on Synagogue Activities; Federation of Jewish Philanthropies Education Council; Jewish War Veterans; Mizrachi Women of America; National Council of Young Israel; New York Board of Rabbis; New York Federation of Reform Synagogues.
Also, New York Federation of Temple Brotherhoods; New York Federation of Temple Sisterhoods; New York State Council of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations; Rabbinical Assembly of America; Religious Zionists of America; United Synagogue of America; Synagogue Council of America–in behalf of Central Conference of American Rabbis, Rabbinical Assembly of America, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, United Synagogue of America.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
