January 9, 2026

Resolution in Support of the Separation of Religion and State in the United States of America

Whereas the First Amendment states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion" prohibiting both the establishment of a national religion and the government’s favoring of one religion over another;

Whereas Thomas Jefferson in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association, wrote that the First Amendment built "a wall of separation between church and state," which was affirmed by Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black in Everson v. Board of Education (1947); 

Whereas through its history the Rabbinical Assembly has adopted resolutions strongly advocating for the continued separation of religion and state in subjects ranging from federal aid to religious schools, calendars, and reproductive freedom. (1950, 1955, 1956, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1985, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2012, and 2021);

Whereas in 2022 several Supreme Court Cases lowered the wall separating church and state (including, Kennedy v. Bremerton School District and Carson v. Makin expanding the exercise of religion in public schools) enabling legislatures and educators/coaches to introduce and impose their religious agendas;

Whereas through history Jews have experienced discrimination, and our ability to practice our religion fully was infringed upon when there was no clear separation of church and state;

Whereas we are witnessing growing efforts around the United States to impose Christian religious beliefs in schools, courtrooms, pharmacies, and doctors' offices to name a few;

Therefore be it resolved that we oppose any efforts that further erode the foundational judicial wall separating church and state;

Be it further resolved, we oppose Louisiana’s HB 71, which would require schools to post the 10 Commandments in all classrooms with a historical statement about the role of the Commandments in American education;

Be it further resolved, we oppose Oklahoma State Superintendent’s efforts to have the Bible taught in all classrooms;

Be it further resolved, we oppose Texas' SB 2, which would provide voucher support for private schools, most of which are Christian, at the expense of appropriate funding for public schools.

Be it further resolved, we oppose schools replacing trained guidance counselors with uncertified and unlicensed chaplains, especially when they are allowed to proselytize minors including without parental permission; 

Be it further resolved, we oppose all efforts to favor or privilege one religion in classrooms, courtrooms, doctors' offices and clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, and more;

Be it further resolved that we oppose all laws, legal decisions, edicts, and actions of public employees which privilege the practice of one religious tradition over another and in turn enable discrimination.

Comments

Submitted by rabbidanny on Mon, 02/10/2025 - 16:30

Be it further resolved, we oppose Texas' SB 2, which would provide voucher support for private schools, most of which are Christian, at the expense of appropriate funding for public schools.

Submitted by Kravitz on Mon, 02/10/2025 - 21:37

While there is a convention of referring to these issues as "Church and State," I suggest that we amend the language in the subject line and in the body of our resolution to "Religion and State." Thanks for all of the work of the Resolutions Committee. Kol tuv, Harold Kravitz

Submitted by dglickman on Tue, 02/11/2025 - 12:29

I understand reiterating the efforts to put religion in PUBLIC school classrooms, but oppose governmental involvement in private businesses such as pharmacies, private or religious hospitals, and privately owned doctor's offices and pharmacies. Our involvement in this would also prevent Jewish physicians from putting up the physician's prayers, having paintings of Maimonides, or putting up mezuzot. Do we really want to be lobbying for such efforts?

Submitted by tamtzit on Wed, 02/12/2025 - 07:54

This issue is a serious one and a resolution of this kind is welcome. I do have a few suggestions: First, there should be within it an acknowledgement that some of the drive to lower that wall of separation comes from within the Jewish people. And so one can't simply say that lowering that wall is un-Jewish. Some of our co-religionists have a different model of the public square: rather than having no religion out there, they prefer to have all religions have the opportunity to promote their faith out there -- and presumably everybody gets enlightened by the religious "marketplace of ideas" out there. Second, I think that the following needs to be reworded: "Whereas Thomas Jefferson in a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association, wrote that the First Amendment built "a wall of separation between church and state," which was affirmed by Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black in Everson v. Board of Education (1947)." It's unclear what was "affirmed" by the Supreme Court's opinion in Everson. I realize that this is being quoted because the phrase "separation of (or between) church and state" isn't in the constitution. But Everson does, as you suggest, stand for it being a fundamental principle. I just think this needs a little bit of tweaking to get the language to match the actual status of that principle in the law. Third, the following seems a bit of a mish-mash, including governmental places and private businesses: "Whereas we are witnessing growing efforts around the United States to impose Christian religious beliefs in schools, courtrooms, pharmacies, and doctors' offices to name a few;" Finally, the word "Christian" occurs once in the document. Does it need to be there?