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December 12, 2002
Union Of Orthodox Jewish Congregations
Applauds Faith-Friendly Regulatory Reforms Announced By President
Bush
Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of
America – the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization –
through its Institute for Public Affairs, applauded a set of regulatory
reforms announced by President George W. Bush designed to ensure that the
federal government and its programs treat America’s faith institutions in
a fair and appropriate manner. The President announced the package of
reforms at a conference regarding the faith-based initiative in
Philadelphia.
Included in the announced reforms, are changes to the regulations
governing the eligibility criteria for federal disaster relief
administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Until now,
a synagogue, church, religious school or other religious facility which
suffered damage due to a physical disaster (such as an earthquake or
tornado) was not eligible for federal disaster relief funds solely because
FEMA regulations bar the award of funds to reconstruct religious
structures.
This regulation has caused countless religious institutions great
difficulties. One representative example is the Seattle Hebrew Academy in
Washington State. It suffered severe damage in an earthquake that struck
the northwest in 2000. Despite meeting every other eligibility criterion,
FEMA denied the Hebrew Academy funds because of its religious nature.
Nathan Diament, director of the Union’s Institute and was in attendance at
the President’s announcement in Philadelphia stated that “President Bush
has rightly recognized this policy governing FEMA, and those like it, as
wrongheaded and has reformed them to ensure that the federal government
treats faith institutions fairly. The Orthodox Jewish community is deeply
appreciative of the President’s commitment to religious liberty and
equality for all Americans.”
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