The dangers of passive cigarette smoke have moved from the pages of the scientific journals to the agenda of the Rabbinical Council of America.
During its annual conference last week, the modern Orthodox rabbinical group passed a resolution calling smoking a desecration of God’s name and banning smoking from all public council functions and meetings.
The resolution, adopted June 12, also calls on its members “to sensitize their congregations to the severity of the halachic prohibition of exposing people to second-hand smoke,” and accordingly to establish a smoke-free environment in the synagogue at all times.
It also urges its members to establish smoke-free environments in Jewish schools and youth groups, and dot set and example but not smoking themselves.
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