Teach students about the U.S. women’s soccer team’s lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation and explore how sexism manifests in a variety of ways in women’s sports.
ADL to Supreme Court: WWI Veterans Memorial Dominated by 40-Foot Cross is Exclusionary and Unconstitutional
Press Release
New York, NY, January 31, 2019 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) joined a broad coalition of religious and civil rights organizations in urging the U.S. Supreme Court to find that a 40-foot memorial cross dominating a veterans’ memorial on Maryland government property violates constitutionally mandated separation of church and state.
In an amicus brief co-filed with Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) in American Legion v. American Humanist…
ADL Says Federal Religious Exemption for Foster Care Program is Discriminatory, Shameful and Immoral
Press Release
New York, NY, January 23, 2019 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) blasted as “shameful, illegal and immoral” today’s decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services granting an exemption to a South Carolina faith-based foster child program allowing it to openly discriminate against Jews, gay couples and others who don’t follow their faith.
“It is shocking that the federal government is openly sanctioning discrimination against Jews, LGBTQ…
ADL Urges Dept. of Health and Human Services to Reject Waiver That Would Allow Foster Agencies to Openly Discriminate
Press Release
New York, NY, October 23, 2018 … ADL today urged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to reject a waiver requested by the State of South Carolina that would allow federally funded foster agencies to deny applications of Jewish and other foster parents on the basis of religion.
The waiver request was based on a local faith-based foster care agency, Miracle Hill Ministries, prospectively losing its federal funding because of the agency’s religious…
Letter to the Office for Civil Rights at HHS Regarding South Carolina Adoption Issue
Letter
October 23, 2018 In a letter to Roger Severino, Director of the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), ADL called for the rejection of South Carolina's request to allow federally funded, faith-based foster agencies within the State to deny applications of prospective Jewish and other foster parents on the basis of religion. October 23, 2018
Mr. Roger Severino
Director of the Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Health and Human…
Remarks by Robert Trestan to OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in Paris
News
Ensuring Religious Freedom Remains Safe in France: Best Practices from America October 10, 2018 Introduction
Anti-Semitism remains the world’s oldest forms of hatred. The targeting and scapegoating of Jews and Jewish communities dates back centuries. With the passing of each year, decade and century, the Anti-Semites have adapted, never giving up, always using the latest, most modern, most technologically advanced techniques to target, and intimidate us, and the one thing that has…
ADL Calls White House Executive Order on "Faith and Opportunity" a Step Backwards for Religious Liberty
Press Release
New York, NY, May 3, 2018 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today called President Trump’s Executive Order on the “White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative” a step backwards for religious liberty. ADL is deeply concerned that the Order rolls back critical constitutional safeguards against religious coercion in federally funded social services and other programs.
Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO, issued the following statement:
ADL has a deep…
It's Not OK for Businesses to Discriminate in the Name of Religion
Article
December 01, 2017 By David Barkey, Religious Freedom Counsel & Southeastern Area Counsel
The U.S. Supreme Court soon will hear oral arguments in a case called Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. Cakeshop’s owner is asking the Court do something unprecedented – allow him based on religious objections to refuse service to customers for who they are.
ADL recently joined an amicus brief to the Court filed by a coalition of civil rights and religious…
ADL Deeply Troubled by Passage of Tax Bill That Will Politicize Houses of Worship
Press Release
New York, NY, November 16, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is deeply troubled and disappointed by the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of H.R. 1, “the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” which effectively repeals the Johnson Amendment. For decades, this amendment has protected the integrity of houses of worship and other non-profit organizations by prohibiting them from endorsing or opposing political candidates.
Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO, issued the…
ADL Welcomes House Committee Approval of Legislation to Protect Religious Institutions Against Threats
Press Release
New York, NY, November 2, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today applauded House Judiciary Committee approval of bipartisan legislation which would expand existing federal law to include threats against religious institutions – including houses of worship, Jewish community centers and Jewish day schools. The Senate is also considering a version of this legislation, titled “The Protecting Religiously-Affiliated Institutions Act of 2017.”
Marvin D. Nathan, ADL…
ADL to Supreme Court: Reject Discrimination in Colorado Bakery Case
Press Release
New York, NY, October 30, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today joined a friend-of-the court brief to the U.S. Supreme Court urging rejection of a bakery’s claim that the Free Exercise Clause to the First Amendment empowered it to refuse the sale of a wedding cake to a same-sex couple based on the owner’s religious beliefs.
The brief filed by a coalition of civil rights and religious organizations asserts the Court should uphold a lower court ruling that the…
ADL to Challenge Justice Department Religious Liberty Guidance
Press Release
Calls it a “Roadmap for Discrimination” New York, NY, October 10, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today expressed deep concern about guidance issued by the Department of Justice on how the Trump Administration should interpret religious liberty protections in federal law.
Jonathan A. Greenblatt, ADL CEO, issued the following statement:
This is a destructive and discriminatory policy that is using religious beliefs as an excuse to weaken anti-discrimination…
The Good Fight: Reflections on Two Years Leading ADL
Article
by: Jonathan A. Greenblatt July 26, 2017 Two years ago, full of optimism and energy as I joined ADL as its new CEO, I asked the question: Can a 100-Year-Old Change the Future? But it was a rhetorical question because I believed that I knew the answer. If we remained true to our principles, invested in our people and modernized our systems, the organization would be able to shape the future in a positive way as it had done so many times in the past. But as I looked back to the past to…
ADL Disappointed By Supreme Court Decision That Weakens Wall Between Church and State
Press Release
New York, NY, June 26, 2017 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today expressed disappointment with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer, which held that Missouri’s decision to exclude houses of worship, including Trinity Lutheran, from a program that provided direct grants to pay for playground resurfacing materials was unconstitutional discrimination against religion.
ADL had joined an amicus brief, with seven other groups,…
For Educators | For Parents, Families, and Caregivers Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the High Holidays, are celebrated by Jewish people all over the world. The High Holidays fall on different days each year. For the specific dates each year, check our Calendar of Observances. These and other Jewish holidays fall on different days in our calendar because they follow the Jewish calendar, which has a different number of days than our calendar. The Jewish calendar is a Soli-lunar calendar. …
Unconstitutional Backdoor School Prayer Bill Will Have Unintended Consequences
Article
May 12, 2017
The Florida Legislature recently enacted a back door school prayer bill – Senate Bill 436, the so-called "Florida Student and School Personnel Religious Liberties Act," which the Governor is expected to sign. It is intended to do an end run around U.S. Supreme Court decisions barring school-sponsored prayer in K-12 public schools. Senate Bill 436 (“SB 436”) is unnecessary, raises serious constitutional issues, and creates a legal quagmire for Florida…
ADL Statement for House Judiciary Subcommittee Hearings on Religious Liberty
Letter
February 16, 2017 The Honorable Steve King
Chair
House Judiciary Subcommittee on the on the Constitution and Civil Justice
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Steve Cohen
Ranking Member
House Judiciary Subcommittee on the on the Constitution and Civil Justice
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Chairman King and Ranking Member Cohen:
We write to provide the views of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) for…
Distribution of Religious Materials and Proselytizing by Outside Groups and Individuals
Tools and Strategies
For Educators Individuals, including parents, and groups who have no formal relationship to a school (Third Parties) may distribute religious materials, including Bibles, to students outside of school premises. They may also discuss religious matters with students.
Third-party materials or publications of a religious viewpoint may be distributed on- campus to the same extent distribution of third-party secular materials is permitted. However, courts have applied different rules to…
For Educators Release time in the public schools refers to programs in which students are released from school early to attend religious classes off school premises. Participating students must have permission from their parents. Nonparticipating students remain in school. Such programs may be constitutional if the religious classes take place off school grounds, if no public school funds are expended, and if school officials or teachers do not promote program attendance through coercion or…
For Educators Public schools may not teach religion, although teaching about religion in a secular context is permitted.1 The Bible may be taught in a school, but only for its historical, cultural or literary value and never in a devotional, celebratory or doctrinal manner, or in such a way that encourages acceptance of the Bible as a religious document.2
SPECIFIC ISSUES & QUESTIONS
What distinguishes "teaching religion" from "teaching about religion"?
Religion may be presented…