Two Jewish organizations registered vehement opposition to the proposed new New York State Constitution and urged their membership today to vote against it in the November 7 referendum. The organizations — the Workmen’s Circle and the Labor Zionist Organization of America — stated that the main reason for their opposition was repeal of Article XI, Section 3, the so called Blaine Amendment, which would open the way for State aid to non-public schools.
The Workmen’s Circle, the world’s largest Jewish labor fraternal order, declared in a statement today that the American system of separation of church and state “is traduced by the proposed state charter.” It charged that the clause repealing the Blaine Amendment was “an obvious conspiracy to destroy the public school system.” The statement was signed by Israel Breslow, president and Benjamin A. Gebiner, executive secretary.
The LZOA statement, signed by Dr. Leo Diesendruck, chairman of its Community Action Committee, warned of the divisive effect of religious rivalry for public educational funds.
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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.
