OU Praises Decision of US Court of Appeals Dismissing Challenge to “Parsonage” Allowance

13 Nov 2014

Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, praised the decision by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissing a challenge to the law that gives clergy tax-free housing allowances. The Court said that the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the organization behind the lawsuit, did not have the standing to challenge the law.

The Orthodox Union joined with other leading Orthodox Jewish organizations to defend the constitutionality of the federal tax code’s “parsonage” allowance for clergy in federal court. The “Friend of the Court” brief was drafted by noted attorney Nathan Lewin.

Nathan Diament, Executive Director for Public Policy of the Orthodox Union issued the following statement:

“We commend the decision of the Court to dismiss the case against the ‘parsonage’ allowance for clergy. Clergy members of all faiths should not be penalized for living near their congregants nor should they be required to treat housing allowances provided by their congregations as disposable income. We also thank U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Jack Lew and the Obama Administration for their support of the parsonage provision.”

Read the full statement on the OU Advocacy website.

Click here to read the full text of the amicus curiae brief.