Community Contact Information:
KAM Isaiah Israel
Chicago, IL
www.kamii.org
Goals:
- Educate community about the importance of keeping the line between church and state distinct.
- Create an advocacy group to speak out about the Faith-Based Initiative.
Overview:
Preparation:
Recognizing the importance of advocacy on behalf of church-state issues, the synagogue leadership voted to create a Church-State Committee.
Project Implementation:
The committee engaged in multi-faceted programming, including:
Advocacy: The Committee prompted a Board resolution opposing federal regulations that permit religious organizations receiving government funds to discriminate based on the religion of employees. In addition, the Church-State Committee delivered testimony at a congressional hearing in Chicago on employment discrimination provisions of the Faith-Based Initiative. The Committee hosted an address by a United States senator on the importance of preserving the separation of church and state.
Education: The committee conducted a scholar-in-residence weekend on the First Amendment which featured lectures by scholars, panel discussions and advocacy skills training.
Results:
Over ten percent of KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation’s members joined the Church-State Committee when it formed. The senator’s address was attended by over 500 people. In addition to educating its own members, KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation has successfully brought church-state issues to the attention of other local congregations.
