Governmental Aid to Parochial Schools

The Union of American Hebrew Congregations has always been deeply committed to the principle of the separation of church and state, which has safeguarded religious liberty for all men in this free land.

The devotion of our Union to the separation of religion and the state, and our equally deep commitment to public education as a cornerstone of the American democratic process, impel us at this 46th Biennial Assembly to reaffirm our opposition to any form of governmental aid to elementary and secondary schools under the supervision or control of any religious denomination or sect—Catholic, Protestant or Jewish.

Our opposition to each governmental grants, loans and other forms of fiscal aid to parochial schools does not imply any lack of regard or respect for religious-sponsored institutions of education. We respect the right of any religious denomination to establish and administer its own educational institutions. We applaud their contributions to the cultural and spiritual diversity of our nation, and we urge those religious groups which have parochial schools to continue to support them without passing their responsibility on to the government.