PLANO, Texas, Sept. 18, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Liberty Institute today released the following statement from Kelly Shackelford, President, CEO and Chief Counsel to First Liberty Institute:
“From First Liberty Institute to our Jewish brothers and sisters, G'mar Chatimah Tovah. We are honored to defend the religious liberty of Jewish Americans from New York to California. It is deeply troubling that hostility toward Jewish Americans seems to be increasing, but First Liberty Institute will continue to fight for religious liberty for all Americans in courtrooms across the nation.”
First Liberty Institute is currently working with several Jewish individuals and congregations in various cases, including:
- Jewish congregations in New York and California repeatedly sued by radical animal rights activist groups to prevent these congregations from performing a millennia old religious ritual known as Kaporos. First Liberty has litigated cases in both New York and California but special interest groups continue to harass these Jewish congregations with threats and lawsuits.
- Several orthodox Jewish rabbis and one Jewish school in the Village of Airmont, New York being denied religious use of their own property. Airmont has a 30-year history of anti-religious discrimination against its orthodox Jewish residents. First Liberty is currently fighting the village’s denial of these religious use permits and is investigating several other incidents of possible systematic discrimination.
- Congregation Toras Chaim, a small Jewish congregation in North Dallas that, for years, has fought the City of Dallas simply to exercise their right to worship according to their faith in their own property. That fight continues as the City of Dallas demands more parking spaces for those who do not drive cars on the sabbath.
- Air Force Chaplain Jeff Montanari, who First Liberty attorneys argue Air Force officials discriminated against when they rejected his application to be a Jewish chaplain following his conversion to Orthodox Judaism. Montanari had previously served as a chaplain endorsed by the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel.
About First Liberty Institute
First Liberty Institute is the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.
To arrange an interview, contact Lacey McNiel at media@firstliberty.org or by calling 972-941-4453.
Contact: Lacey McNiel, media@firstliberty.org
Cell: 972-989-2403, Direct: 972-941-4453