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OU/IPA Statement of Community
Concerns
The Institute for Public Affairs of the
Orthodox Union seeks to inform
our elected officials on issues of prime concern to the Orthodox Jewish community. We
value those congressional initiatives by our Representatives and Senators that reflect a
deep and abiding commitment to those concerns, and ask Congress to take note of the
following issues which are high on our agenda.
As the public policy and advocacy wing of the United States' largest
Orthodox Jewish community, we involve our constituency in local, state, national and
international affairs. For more information please call the IPA at (212) 613-8123 or
e-mail ipa@ou.org.
Foreign Aid
Congress should help ensure America's role as the world's remaining
superpower by approving the foreign aid budget - a cost-effective way to strengthen allies
and protect U.S. interests. Foreign aid promotes peace in the Middle East and fosters
stability and security in the region.
We ask Congress to support $3 billion in regular foreign aid, oppose
all cutting amendments, Israel-specific or across the board, and support the overall
foreign aid bill.
The Peace Process
A strong U.S. - Israel relationship guarantees the stability of the
Middle East peace process. We commend the Clinton Administration and Congress for their
bipartisan commitment to a strong U.S. - Israel relationship. We applaud our government's
commitment to Israel's security, maintaining Israel's qualitative defensive edge and
continued U.S. - Israel strategic cooperation. We insist that Yassir Arafat and the
Palestinian authority comply with Oslo I, the Gaza-Jericho accord and Oslo II, and
aggressively fight terrorism by outlawing Hammas and Islamic Jihad. This includes
dismantling their infrastructures, arresting and jailing their members and confiscating
their weapons. Financial aid to the PA should be contingent upon its willingness to root
out terror and comply with all the commitments that it agreed to with its signing of the
Oslo agreements. Syria must cease its support of terrorist organizations, restrict its
ties with Iran and curtail all activities of the Hizbollah and Party of G-d and pursue a
full, meaningful peace with Israel. Congress should urge Arab nations to pursue full
normalization with Israel and integrate Israel as a full partner in the Middle East.
International Terrorism
Terrorism is a global threat and not one limited to only certain
regions of the world. IPA urges the nations of the world to aggressively turn the war
against terror by adopting measures sanctioning states, groups, and individuals who
support it. As long as Iran continues to support terrorist activity, we will urge the
European Union and its member states and China, India, Japan and other world powers to
re-evaluate the policy of "critical dialogue" with Iran for the extensions of
credits and other financial incentives and oppose the transfer of nuclear technology and
material. These policies have proven ineffective to date in containing Iran's support of
terror and obstruction of peace. Congress should monitor Argentina's investigation
into terror attacks against the Argentine Jewish community and urge Argentina to
reinvigorate its efforts to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators. We applaud the
passage of counterterrorism legislation, however, we urge that Congress further strengthen
America's arsenal against domestic and international terrorism an reexamine the inclusion
of unrelated provisions in the current legislation.
Israeli MIA's And POW's
All efforts should be made to secure information on the whereabouts
and to the secure release of the Israeli MIAs and POWs. The fates of Israeli Air Force
navigator Ron Arad and Israeli soldiers Yehuda Katz, Zachary Baumel and Zvi Feldman remain
an urgent human rights issue. Syria in particular must facilitate the return of Israeli
MIAs as a tangible manifestation of a sincere desire to achieve real peace.
Jerusalem
The IPA of the Orthdox Union rejoices in the celebration of
Jerusalem as the united, eternal capital of Israel since it was founded 3,000 years ago by
King David. Historically, politically, religiously and culturally, Jerusalem represents
the heart and soul of the Jewish people.
Under Israeli sovereignty, access to holy places of worship has been
ensured to followers of all faiths. Jerusalem cannot be considered as occupied territory
and must remain the united, undivided capital of Israel. Any Middle East peace initiative
that suggests that Jerusalem must again be divided will only damage the chance of an
eventual final peace settlement in the area.
The Orthodox Union strongly applauds the United States Congress for
passing the Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Act calling for moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel
from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. We encourage the Administration to take steps toward
implementing this duly enacted law.
Arms Proliferation
The proliferation of advanced, sophisticated weapons systems and
weapons of mass destruction in Arab/Muslim countries at war with Israel, most notably,
Syria, Libya and Iran, remains a critical threat to Israel's security and a destabilizing
factor in the Middle East. We called for continued measures to guarantee Israel's
qualitative military edge; oppose the sale of sophisticated conventional arms to states
which have not made peace with Israel; and support U.S.-backed initiatives to curb the
proliferation of ballistic missiles, weapons of mass destruction, and related dual use
technologies to radical states in the Middle East.
Jews in the Former Soviet Union
Congress should closely monitor the actions of the recently elected
Communist-dominated Duma in Russia and the implications of the upcoming Presidential
election. Particular attention should be paid to human rights issues, religious freedom
and emigration.
Assault Weapons
The IPA opposes any attempt to reverse the ban on assault weapons.
School Prayer
We are concerned with the deterioration in our nation of moral and
family values. Our religious experience places great faith in the ability of our religious
principles to inspire a just and moral community. Nevertheless, we cannot support recent
calls for a constitutional amendment which will allow for organized school prayer. We
believe that such prayers would either constitute religious coercion or be crafted in such
a way as to demean teh institution of prayer. We do support public schools'
accommodation of students' rights to personal religious observance.
Education
We support "School Choice" initiatives providing vouchers
and other forms of economic assistance to parents to pay the cost of educating their
children at the school of their choice - public or private-religious or secular.
"School Choice" will enable parents to choose the schools which best meet the
educational needs of their child. "School Choice" responds to the call for
strengthening religious values by assisting parents of religious faiths to choose
religious schools. "School Choice" responds to the need to save impoverished
American children from dysfunctional inner-city schools and give them the opportunity for
a brighter future.
"School Choice" programs that provide vouchers to parents
to be used to pay towards the cost of either religious or secular schools do not violate
constitutional principles because government will not be entangled in religious matters or
establishing one religion over another.
Religious Freedom
The OU welcomes the introduction of the Workplace Religious
Freedom Act -- clarifying an employer's obligation pursuant to the Civil Rights Act of
1964 to reasonably accommodate an employee's religious beliefs, in particular as relating
to Sabbath observance and the wearing of religious articles.
This legislation would remedy judicial decisions which are at odds
with the law so as to seriously minimize an employer's obligation to reasonably
accommodate an employee's religious beliefs. We urge members of Congress to support
religious accommodation by enacting this bill to restore protections against religious
discrimination in the workplace that Congress intended to provide by enacting Title 7 of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Affirmative Action
We pledge our support for effective Civil Rights legislation that
will address the problems of social, religious, and gender discrimination in order to
secure full employment opportunity for all while eschewing employment quotas. We reject
the proposition that race, religion, gender or ethnicity is a qualification or
disqualification for any post. We believe that individual merit is the touchstone of
equality of opportunity.
The IPA will closely monitor Congressional and executive policies
affecting affirmative action.
Hate Groups
HUD and other Federal agencies should ensure that their contractors
act responsibly and that all such contractors comply with Federal laws banning
discrimination. The OU commends Federal and State efforts to ensure that leaders of hate
groups comply with applicable statutes and regulations. Congress should continue to
monitor the evident rise in the membership of hate groups and their use of new
technologies, such as the Internet, to spread their invective.
Lobbying Disclosure
Efforts continue to place restrictions on the right of charities
that receive Federal grant money-directly or indirectly-to speak out on behalf of the
people they serve. Proposed legislation creates additional burdens and paperwork in
reporting requirements for organizations already required to document their lobbying
activities.
Immigration
The U.S. is a nation of immigrants and continues to benefit from the
contributions of newcomers. We support the continuation of a fair and generous immigration
policy while simultaneously supporting vigorous enforcement of Federal immigration
statutes. Current efforts to deny assistance to legal immigrants tarnish the U.S. proud
heritage as a melting pot nation. These efforts present inherent risks for personal
freedoms as well as questions of reliability at huge cost.
We support continuation of the current U.S. refugee policy that
provides sanctuary in the U.S. to those who flee their homelands because of persecution
based on religion, ethnicity, or politics in their home countries. As long time advocates
for Jews of the former Soviet Union and in view of the unstable situation there, we
appreciate the need for such a refugee policy.
Term Limitations
The Orthodox Union opposes term limitations for elected officials as
they attempt to arbitrarily limit the terms of those officials no matter how well they
perform their jobs or how much the voters want to elect them. Such a system would result
in which elected officials who have been educated as to the interests and concerns of
their constituents being in a constant "lame duck" status which would destroy
the system that values seniority and experience. The Orthodox community benefits from the
experience of legislators who have long been educated to our particular concerns of
freedom of religion and in international affairs. Term limits are built in - we don't have
to reelect failed officials. Term limitations would deny us the right to elect those
officials whom we do want.
For additional information, please e-mail ipa@ou.org or call the IPA office at (212) 613-8128.
The OU's IPA is eager to work with you in the interest
of making a difference for Klal Yisrael, so please be in touch and let us know how we can
help you run a successful campaign. You can contact the Institute for Public Affairs at
(212) 613-8128 or by E-mail at ipa@ou.org.
Richard Stone
Chairman
Nathan Diament
Director
Betty Ehrenberg
Director of International & Community Concerns
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