Supreme Court Decision on Constitutionality
of Reciting Prayers in Schools Due in June
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)
are often recited outside of the
synagogue in English and with-
out the benefit of head cover-
ing.
Bertrams Dailer, of Port
Washington, N.Y., represent-
ing the New Hyde Park
school board, contended in
his argument that the fact
children were not under com-
pulsion to participate in the
prayer recitation keeps it
clear of constitutional contro-
versy.
The basic purpose for the
adoption of the prayer reading,
Dailer told the court, was "to
promote the belief in tradition
and spiritual values." Dailer
called the practice' "a reaffirma-
tion of what we take for
granted," asserting that it was
"a religious practice in the
same sense as the ceremonies
which precede the start of any
public occasion."
New York Attorney Porter
Chandler, appealing for 16 New
Hyde Park parents—three Jews
among them—who want to keep
the prayer, said his clients are
concerned over what he called
"an attempt by a minority to
drive out from the public
schools long established prac-
tices." He argued that elimina-
tion of the prayer and "removal
of all reference to a deity"
would deny "the free exercise
of religious practice." Chandler
charged that opponents of the
prayer reading are attempting
to "rewrite history," pointing
out that reference to a deity
in the federal and state con-
stitutions as examples — have
traditionally affirmed a faith
and belief in God.
The high court is expected
to hand down its decision be-
fore the expiration of the pres-
ent term in June. The presenta-
tions Tuesday concluded the
oral arguments. Written briefs
had been entered previously by
both sides.
The 22-word prayer reads:
"Almighty God, we acknowl-
edge our dependence upon
Thee, and we beg Thy blessings
upon us, our parents, our teach-
ers, and our country."
WASHINGTON — Oral argu-
ments in the case involving the
constitutionality ' of a prayer
that is now being read daily in
some New York public schools
were heard here Tuesday by
the U.S. Supreme Court.
The case involves a 22-word
prayer — which proponents ar-
gue is non-sectarian and which
was adopted by the New York
State Board of Regents and rec-
ommended for use by local
boards of education throughout
the state.
At a two-hour session Tues-
day morning, New York At-
torney William J. Butler, rep-
resenting five New Hyde Park,
Long Island, parents who are
challenging the constitution-
ality of the prayer reading, con-
tended that the basic objective
of the prayer is "an attempt by
the state to impose religious
education in the public school
system."
Butler contended that the
prayer itself did not violate
any constitutional law but that
the question involved was the
context in which it was re-
cited. He argued that the prayer
was being read in a public
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
school where attendance was
than a religious community, Dr.
to The Jewish News)
compulsory and that in addi-
LONDON — Dr. James Parkes, Cecil Roth told the Conference
tion to being in what he de-
on Jewish Life in Modern Britain.
scribed as "this teaching envi- a noted Christian expert on anti-
The conference was organized
ronment" it was "being parti- Semitism, proposed Tuesday in-
cipated in by state officials— quiry into the degree to which by the Institute of Contemporary
the anti-Israel campaign of the Jewry of the Hebrew University
teachers."
Arab countries served as a medi- at Jerusalem, under the auspices
Questioned in detail about um for the dissemination of of
the Board of Deputies of
the nature of the Jewish par- anti-Semitism of a general char- British
Jews. The trend toward
ents' objections, Butler told the acter.
ethnic rather than religious iden-
court that the Jewish parents
Parkes made the proposal at tification, said Roth, "is not a
were motivated first by the feel- the concluding session of the positive
development," but he
ing that "religious education is Conference on Jewish Life in
not the proper function of the Modern Britain. He also said stated that the fact must be ac-
state." He described this as that there was a strong possibility cepted in view of the movement
their basic objection, asserting that the 19th century pattern of of Jews in this country from
synagogal life toward secular
that the other objections were anti-semitism in Europe might existence.
"projected reasons." Among be
reproduced
in
Latin
America
Roth also warned against
these he cited the belief among and other places.
the fallacy of considering that
some Jews that no prayer may
Prof. Shaul Esh of Jerusa-
the recent influx of Sephardic
be recited without the wearing lem and Dr. G. Wigdor pre-
Jews here justifies fears that
of a head covering, the fact sented a joint 'paper in which
the Sephardic and Oriental
that prayers must be recited
said there was field for
Jews "may lower the life of
in Hebrew, that praying Jews they
a Jewish community." "There
must face East and that prayers research in Zionism, particular-
are great intellectual reserves
are to be recited only in syna- ly in the history of the rela-
in the Sephardic segment of
gogues. Among the justices tionship between the British
Jewry," he said.
challenging some of Butler's and the Zionist movement, as
well
as
between
the
movement
Dr. Moshe Davis, head of the
contentions was Felix Frank-
furter, the court's lone Jew, and the British Jewish com- Institute of Contemporary Jewry,
munity
during
the
crucial
years
told
the conference that, among
who pointed out that prayers of the British mandate in
many Jewish communities
Palestine.
throughout the world, the role of
The trend of British Jewry is religion in Jewish life is dimin-
toward becoming an ethnic com- ishing while Israel's impact is .
munity in this country rather
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British Conference on Jewish Life
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Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller of New York receives a
lithograph of a sketch entitled "The Prayer," by the noted
Israeli artist Yehnda Bakon, from Mrs. Max . M. Meth of
Hadassah, United States chairman for Child's Day for Youth
Aliyah. Hadassah is the official representative in the United
States of Youth Aliyah, international agency for the rescue,
relief and rehabilitation in Israel of homeless Jewish children
from various parts of the world. Yehuda Bakon, the artist, is
a Youth Aliyah graduate.
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