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November 25, 2003
Union of
Orthodox Jewish Congregations Applauds
Administration’s Continued Implementation of
Policy to Have Federal
Policies Treat Religious Institutions Fairly; Historic
Synagogue Granted Funds for Secular
Preservation
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of
America applauded a decision announced last week by the U.S. Department of
the Interior to award a $375,000 federal grant under the Save America’s
Historic Treasures program to the Touro Synagogue of Newport, Rhode
Island, the nation’s oldest synagogue and a member of the U.O.J.C.A. (The
funds will be used to preserve the synagogue’s exterior architecture and
reinforce overloaded roof trusses.) (Grants were also awarded to New
York’s Eldridge Street Project and Texas’ Mission Concepcion.)
The grant announced at the Touro by Interior Secretary Gale Norton is the
latest implementation of a policy announced by the Department last May
opening up the Save America’s Treasures program to historic religious
structures – a policy step in keeping with President Bush’s stated goal of
making all federal programs treat religious institutions fairly and
equally to the secular. Previous to yesterday’s announcement, historic
churches, synagogues or other houses of worship were inappropriately
excluded from receiving preservation grants – even for religiously neutral
purposes – simply because they were religious institutions. Save America’s
Treasures was established in 1998 as a public-private partnership between
the Interior Department’s National Park Service and the National Trust for
Historic Preservation. The competitive, religion-neutral, grants process
is designed to ensure America’s important architectural treasures are
preserved for generations to come. A recent study by the National Trust
found that the average historic congregation faces up to $2 million of
repair costs.
Nathan J. Diament, the Union’s director of public policy, issued the
following statement in connection with the policy announcement:
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations is very
grateful for the decision by the Bush Administration, announced by
Secretary Norton, to continue its policy of treating religious
institutions fairly. Historically landmarked housed of worship are a
treasure for all Americans, but for too long the small communities
associated with some of these treasures have had to bear the cost of
preserving them alone, with no assistance from the government – simply
because of their religious character. This policy is the right one as it
recognizes that historic preservation serves all Americans of all faiths
and that faith institutions must be treated fairly and equally.
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