Jewish Federations of North America are grateful to members from both sides of the aisle in the House and Senate for formally introducing the Right to Worship Act.

 
Following a period of disturbing incidents in which Americans have been prevented from praying freely, including Jewish Americans being impeded at synagogues across the country, this legislation provides crucial protections — notably, the establishment of 100-foot, protest-free buffer zones. 

“Every community deserves to gather safely in their house of worship,” said Eric D. Fingerhut, President and CEO of Jewish Federations of North America. “Too often, we've seen Jewish Americans and other faith communities targeted or intimidated simply for practicing their faith. The Right to Worship Act gives law enforcement and communities the tools they need to prevent these disruptions before they escalate, while still respecting every American's First Amendment rights. Safety and religious freedom aren't in tension; this bill shows how we can protect both.”

Federations commend Reps. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) and Brad Knott (R-NC) and Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) for their leadership and commitment to ensuring that all Americans can exercise their constitutional right to worship freely. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners in Congress to pass this consequential legislation.