This week, the Religious Liberty Commission (RLC) held a hearing to discuss the dangers of rising anti-Semitism from the perspectives of students, teachers, and Jewish leaders. The hearing included panels with testimony from graduate students, coaches, university administrators, and relatives of Holocaust survivors, as well as individuals who experienced religious liberty issues in the private sector and employment contexts. It also included testimony from Justice Department and Civil Rights leaders on the front lines of combatting anti-Semitism through the legal system. The hearing’s objectives aimed to understand the ideologies behind anti-Semitism, recognize present threats to religious liberty in the private sector and employment, and identify opportunities to secure religious liberty in these contexts for the future.
“Religious liberty is our first and foundational freedom,” said Chairman Dan Patrick. “Physical violence is the ultimate deprivation of this freedom. In recent years, our Jewish brothers and sisters have increasingly been faced with hostility and physical violence in their houses of worship and communities—as recently as this weekend, when a driver repeatedly rammed his car into a peaceful gathering at a Brooklyn Chabad. This is un-American and unacceptable. Following President Trump’s lead, the Religious Liberty Commission will be fully considering this issue to ensure that all Americans enjoy the full freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment.”
The Religious Liberty Commission was established by President Trump under Executive Order 14291 and is tasked with producing a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, increasing awareness of and celebrating America’s peaceful religious pluralism, highlighting current threats to religious liberty, and developing strategies to preserve and enhance protections for future generations.
The witnesses included:
- Yitzchok Frankel: Plaintiff in Frankel v. Regents of the University of California
- Shabbos Kestenbaum: American Jewish Activist, Political Commentator
- Rabbi Ari Berman: President, Yeshiva University
- Coach Bruce Pearl: Founder, Jewish Coaches Association
- Leo Terrell: Chair of DOJ’s Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights
- Dr. Elizabeth Spalding: Author, Lifelong Educator, and Religious Liberty Advocate
- Dr. Moshe Glick: Member of Congregation Ohr Torah in West Orange, New Jersey
- Liat Cohen-Reeis: Founder, The Jewish-Christian Alliance
- Pastor JC Cooper: Pastor, The Mission Church, San Diego
- Seth Dillon: CEO, The Babylon Bee
- John Mertens: Acting Deputy Chief, Education Section for the Civil Rights Division, Department of Justice
- Fr. Thomas Ferguson: Pastor, Good Shepard Parish
- Rabbi Meir Soloveichik: Rabbi, Congregation Shearith Israel
- Ambassador Sam Brownback: Former Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom, Former Governor of Kansas
- Lacey Smith: Former Alaska Airlines Employee
- Hermione Susana: Hospitality Worker, New York City
The original announcement can be found here.
