Civic and Religious Groups Back Barring N.Y. State Aid to Religious Schools

A committee representing 25 Jewish and non-Jewish religious civic and civil rights groups criticized at a press conference here today other religious groups seeking to amend the New York state constitutional ban on use of public funds for religious schools. The group known as the Committee for Public Education and Religious Liberty was organized to fight any effort at the current constitutional convention to amend or eliminate the popularly known Blaine Amendment which bars use of state funds to non-public schools.

While the major Reform and Conservative Jewish religious groups were represented, the participants do not include any Orthodox Jewish organizations, which strongly favor use of public funds for non-public school students. The participating Jewish organizations include the American Jewish Committee. Association of Reform Rabbis of New York City, B’nai B’rith, Jewish War Veterans. National Council of Jewish Women, Jewish Labor Committee. United Synagogue of America. Union of American Hebrew Congregations, and the New York Federation of Reform Synagogues.