Jewish Delegates to Texas Democratic Convention Say Opening Date Conflicts with Rosh Hashana

A federal court suit by 11 Jewish delegates to the state Democratic convention, asking the court to enjoin opening of the convention on the first day of the High Holy Days, was supported today in a friend of the court brief filed by the southwest region of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, The state Republican convention also is scheduled to open on Sept. 17.

The 250 Jewish delegates and alternates to the Democratic convention formally asked the state Democratic executive committee to recess the convention for two days but the committee defeated a proposal for such recess. The suit was filed Aug. 7 in the Western Texas Division of the United States District Court by the 11 Jewish plaintiffs.

The suit contended that refusal to recess the convention until after Rosh Hashana placed an unconstitutional burden on the Jewish delegates and alternates by violation of the “free exercise” clause of the First Amendment. The suit declared that it was unconstitutional for the Democratic Party to compel Jewish delegates to choose between ignoring the Holy Day to attend or to observe the Holy Day and forego participation.

ALSO URGING REPUBLICAN RECESS

Henry Cohn, Southwest ADL chairman, in a memorandum announcing plans to file the brief, said it dealt with the meaning of Rosh Hashana to Jews, the Holy Day ban on “laborious work” and that participation in a political convention would be a violation of the letter and spirit of the holy days. Cohn said that if the court ruled for the plaintiffs on the merits of their constitutional complaint, a precedent would be set which would prevent conflicts between observances by all persons, Christians and Jews, and major state functions.

Cohn said the ADL also was conferring with the state Republican Party and urging the Republicans to recess their convention. He added the ADL had no information on whether any Jewish Republican delegates or alternates planned to bring suit if the Republican state executive committee also declined to recess its convention “to avoid the disenfranchisement of Jewish delegates.”