The American Jewish Congress today renewed its appeal to all members of the New York State Legislature to vote in favor of the Fair Sabbath bill which would permit Orthodox Jews who keep their stores closed on Saturdays to trade on Sundays.
Noting that the bill has the support of the entire Jewish community, the AJC appeal added that a number of civic organizations, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Citizens Union, also favor passage.
The AJC appeal scored the present Sunday compulsory observance law as “a serious violation of the basic constitutional principle that each citizen is entitled to practice his religion without government interference. ” By designating Sunday as the religious day of rest for the entire community, the letter stated, the law compels those who observe Saturday as their Sabbath to abstain from business activity on two days during the week.
The Protestant Council of New York today addressed a statement to all members of the New York State Legislature supporting the Fair Sabbath bill. The statement said: “This is not a relaxation of Sunday observance, but an effort to give recognition to the rights of our fellow citizens of other faiths. “
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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.
