A recent ruling by a US District Judge has Jewish groups across the spectrum protesting the decision. It will effect the residential part of the Rabbi of a local shul. Agudath Israel of America issued this statement:
It is with great dismay that we greet the news of U.S. District Court Judge Barbara Crabb’s (Western District of Wisconsin) ruling that declares the “parsonage exemption” to be unconstitutional.
It is a stunning reversal of long-standing practice and good public policy. In our opinion, Judge Crabb erred in her decision, as we firmly believe that the housing allowance for members of the clergy falls squarely within acceptable First Amendment parameters. It is our expectation that the Administration will appeal this decision and, if so, we urge it to defend the “parsonage exemption” with vigor. Agudath Israel intends to closely monitor developments in this important case and to let our views be known in court and on Capitol Hill.
Read more from the jpost.com article
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Welcome to the new world order. Under the new "liberal" ethos that is sweeping Europe and America, religion, particularly Judaism, is viewed as a major threat that must be dealt with. In Europe, more and more contries are attempting to ban kosher shechita and the European Union is considering a continent wide ban on brit milah. In Sweden, where shechita was banned in 1937 (no doubt under Nazi influence), legislation in now being proposed to prohibit even the IMPORTATION of kosher meat.
ReplyDeleteIt is just a matter of time until pressure for these edits will come to the US. California already saw an attempt to ban brit milah.
The accelerating moral degeneration in the US, and West in general will only increase the demand for Judaism to be banned as "primitive" and interfering with the new progressive order. In addition to the danger of legislative harrassment of Jewish observance, the general permissive, sexually-"liberated" atmosphere....the breakdown of the family, homosexual marriage, the acceptance of pornography and foul language is affecting EVERYONE, even with the approval of the highest moral authorities in the US. Does the religious community in the American galut (exile) really think this rot is not going to affect them? You can't build ghetto walls high enough to keep out seductive ideas that are now accepted ("if it feels good, do it" and "what's right is what you can get away with") even by people inhabiting the White House and Congress, not to mention the all-pervasive media.
Time for some serious soul-searching by religious Jews in the American galut.