Separation of Church and State and President Bush's Faith Based Initiative (2002)

WHEREAS the separation of church and state is one of America's unique gifts to civilization and the chief guarantor of our religious liberty; and

WHEREAS the Jewish community's strong commitment to religious freedom and the separation of church and state is based on historical experience and has a deep stake in the preservation of the separation of church and state. As members of a religious minority whose history is so dominated by oppression, we are especially sensitive to any effort to weaken the safeguards of pluralism and minority expression and are keenly aware of the dangers of a partnership between government and religion; and

WHEREAS the implementation of President Bush's faith-based initiative is a dangerous and unprecedented government endorsement of specific religious institutions by encouraging and establishing partnerships between government and religions institutions, without adequate safeguards to separate the sectarian and human services; and

WHEREAS these religious institutions will be exempt from certain provisions of the Civil Rights Act; and

WHEREAS most of the organized Jewish community has expressed strong opposition to the President's plan to increase government funding of religious institutions (so called "charitable choice"), vouchers and government organizaed prayer in public schools; and

WHEREAS charitable choice will likely result in infringement on the liberty of welfare recipients, will permit either government sponsored discrimination or government restriction of the religious conscience and freedom of the institutions receiving the money, and will weaken the religious community's self-reliance and strength.

THEREFOR, BE IT RESOLVED that the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism oppose all attempts to weaken the First Amendment to the Consitution of the United States or to erode the protection it provides; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the United Synagogue oppose direct funding of pervasively sectarian organizations ("charitable choice") without strong guarantees that these institutions will abide by all provisions of the Civil Rights Act, and not blur the lines between human services and religious practices; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the United Synagogue upon its rabbis and congregational leadership to educate congregants about the faith-based initiative and stand up to protect religious freedom.

BE IT URTHER RESOLVED that the United Synagogue call upon Congress to increase funding to social service agencies that abide by the separation of Church and State and guaranteed by the First Amendment.