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18 NISAN/APRIL 9, 1993

Unlawful War
Over Religion

After years of battling for approval, the Religious Freedom
Restoration Act is expected to become the law of the land.

KIMBERLY LIFTON STAFF WRITER

abbi David Saper-
stein's battle to pro-
tect the free exercise
of religion is nearly
over.
The director of the
Religious Action Cen-
ter is a well-known
face to legislators on
Capitol Hill. And his
causes — human
rights, Israel, church-state issues,
gay rights, women's rights — are of-
ten topics for heated discussion. Yet
rarely before has he ever devoted
so much time and energy to one
piece of legislation: passage of the
Religious Freedom Restoration Act

(RFRA).

Rabbi Saperstein and supporters
of the bill to reverse Smith, the 1990
U.S. Supreme Court decision on re-
ligious freedom, seem to have calmed
a group of abortion opponents who
were concerned that RFRA would

aside

POLITICS

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Page 35

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BUSINESS

The Mediators

A former Detroiter
represents investors
against stock brokers.

Page 39

Contents on page 5

Rabbi Saperstein:

Point man on legislation.

make it easier for people to use reli-
gious liberty as a reason to obtain
abortions.
The bill last month won support
of the House Judicial Subcommittee
on Civil and Constitutional Rights.
And RFRA is expected to easily pass
both houses of Congress and be
signed into law by President Clinton

RELIGION page 12