World

Affirming History

Dershowitz: The Declaration of Independence does not embrace Christianity.

Robert A. Sklar

Editor

T

he inspiration for Alan Dershowitz's newest book
Blasphemy: How the Religious Right is Hijacking
the Declaration of Independence came from Fox
News Channel interviews with
religious right stalwarts like Pat
Robertson and Jerry Falwell.
"They kept citing the
Declaration of Independence as
the document that establishes
Christianity basically as the
foundation of the American
government': Dershowitz told
a crowd of 800 during the
Alan Dershowitz
Jewish Book Fair at the Jewish
Community Center in West Bloomfield on Nov. 10.
So the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard
Law School — a civil liberties attorney and the author of
20 books of fiction and non-fiction — did what any good
scholar would do: He re-read the document that declared
our independence from the English Crown.
While the U.S. Constitution makes no reference to God
and provides for free exercise of religion, the Declaration of

t i

Independence does mention God. That's because its author,
Thomas Jefferson, was asked to issue a clarion call for
Americans to rally around something uniting. "So Jefferson
put God into the Declaration': Dershowitz said.
But like most of our founding fathers, Jefferson was a
Deist as opposed to a Christian. He put into the Declaration
"Nature's God',' not the God of Christianity or of Judeo-
Christian beliefs. "So among those on the religious right,
there has been a complete misunderstanding of what
the Declaration of Independence was intended to do','
Dershowitz said.
A week before Jefferson died on the 50th anniversary
of the Declaration — July 4, 1826, the same day that John
Adams died — he sent a message to Washington explain-
ing his intention in writing the Declaration. Jefferson's
intention, as Dershowitz explained, was to "free the world
of monkish ignorance and the chains of clericalism"
— essentially, to keep religion out of government.
"The last thing he ever wanted was an America limited
to Christians or an America limited to any particular reli-
gion':Dershowitz said. In fact, Jefferson, in a sharp break
from colonial tradition, said belief in no God was perfectly
acceptable, too.
Notably, America's first treaty, signed by President Adams
and Vice President Jefferson and unanimously affirmed

by the U.S. Senate, was with North African Muslims on
the Barbary Coast. "And it said explicitly that we are, in no
sense, a Christian nation," Dershowitz said.
Jefferson believed that separation of church from state
was the most critical element to succeeding as a represen-
tative democracy.
"And he was right': Dershowitz said.
"Look at America: We have separation of church and
state. And we have the highest level of church attendance,
synagogue attendance and mosque attendance of any
Western industrialized country. Also, more Americans
believe in God than do citizens of any other country"
So, Dershowitz concluded, separation of church and state
has worked.
"It has been good for religion; it has been good for civil
liberties and it has been good for the state': Dershowitz
said. "It has been good for everything."
Dershowitz, 69, grew up in an Orthodox home and is a
strong Israel advocate; he describes himself as less obser-
vant than his parents. He agrees that government should
not support religion.
"I have enough faith in my religion that it can prevail in
the marketplace of ideas without government subsidy': he
said. "And Jefferson and James Madison believed that as

'One Fdith, One Fate'

Hoenlein raises cautions, but shares his optimism for Jewish future.

Kerl Guten Cohen

Story Development Editor

M

alcolm Hoenlein, executive vice-chairman of
the New York-based Conference of Presidents
of Major American Jewish Organizations,
often is considered American Jewry's more powerful
voice. Representing 50 national Jewish groups for more
than 20 years, he speaks out on national and international
concerns that include U.S.-Israel relations, the United
Nations, counter-terrorism and global anti-Semitism.
Plugged in to all aspects of Jewish life, Hoenlein is an
extremely knowledgeable speaker. He came to Detroit
for a SAJE (Seminars for Adult Jewish Enrichment) ses-
sion Oct. 30 at the Jewish Community Center in West
Bloomfield. About 50 people attended his talk.
"Detroit is a very special community that has made
great contributions to the national scene with leaders like
the late Max Fisher and others following his example
Hoenlein said in an interview before his speech.
Regarding the next generation of leaders, he said, "I'm
optimistic. I see a really incredible group of young people,
and we have to find a way to make meaningful outreach
to them.
"We have to master the Internet and go to where they
are — the end of a computer screen or TV" he said. He

spoke of an Internet production studio being built for
all organizations to use and mentioned a radio studio in
Israel for the Conference's American Voices in Israel pro-
gram.
He also was optimistic about
the relationship between the
U.S. and Israel. He cited a recent
unreleased poll showing that two-
thirds of Americans support Israel,
adding that there's consistency
because, 5-1, more people are pro-
Israeli than pro-Palestinian.
"Israel ranks with England and
Canada as the closest U.S. allies:'
Hoenlein said. "People identify
Malcolm Hoenlein
with Israel, especially after 9-11.
Americans now feel Israel's pain:'
He spoke about the upcoming U.S. presidential election,
saying that "Israel is not a controversial issue in the race'
"All candidates have spoken out, saying the right thing,"
he said. "And virtually every candidate has said that Iran
must not have the bomb!'
Hoenlein said the United Nations is a major concern
that people tend to dismiss, but should acknowledge.
"Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has made significant
efforts to improve fair treatment to Israel;' Hoenlein said.

"But of the 11 resolutions this year, all have dealt with
Israel. A major concern is the reconvening of the Durban
[South Africa] conference in 2009. The last one saw the
blueprint for getting rid of the 'apartheid state of Israel.
We want to make sure it won't turn from the purpose of
[addressing] racism to hatred of Israel."

'The Big Lie'
During his SAJE speech, he spoke about the misconcep-
tion of Jewish power. "We must combat 'the big lie' about
undue Jewish power and control, which in the era of the
Internet, moves very fast and effectively:' he said. He also
cited a recent poll showing that 67 percent of the "foreign
policy elite those who understand and can influence
police, believe that Jews have too much power.
At the same time, he acknowledged that this era was
different from 1938 because Jews have power and influ-
ence — plus the will and ability to use them — to save
other Jews. "But we must educate ourselves and learn the
lessons of the past."
After the speech, Judi Schram of West Bloomfield
appreciated that Hoenlein compared [Iran's Mahmoud]
Ahmadinejad to Hitler, and said the comparisons are
plentiful. "We should be very aware she said. "We can't get
away with burying our heads in the sand."

November 15 • 2007

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