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separation of religion and state

US President Donald Trump prays at the first cabinet meeting of his second term at the White House, in Washington, DC, in February 26, 2025. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images/JTA)
May 15, 2026, 7:38 pm
Trump’s ‘Shabbat 250’ call divides US Jews ahead of National Mall prayer rally
Call marks first time a US president has urged marking of Shabbat; some Orthodox rabbis have embraced it, while those on Jewish left warn of blurring between religion and state
By Jackie Hajdenberg
US President Donald Trump addresses the White House Religious Liberty Commission during an event at the Museum of the Bible, September 8, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
May 10, 2026, 3:50 am
Trump’s religious liberty commission hopes to do away with separation of church and state
17-member panel seeing eye-to-eye on most matters, with exception of one member who was ousted after defending Candace Owens at contentious antisemitism hearing
By Peter Smith
Rabbi Daniel Kaiman (Courtesy via JTA)
April 9, 2026, 1:10 am
Jewish families and a rabbi ask to join lawsuit to block Oklahoma Jewish charter school
Many local Jews, opposed to what would be country’s first such institution, claim school board can’t be trusted to vigorously defend state’s secular education laws
By Asaf Elia-Shalev
Police clash with Israelis during a protest against the current Israeli government and the ongoing war with Iran, at Habima Square in Tel Aviv, April 4, 2026. (Flash90)
April 5, 2026, 2:22 am
Cops violently disperse protesters at Tel Aviv anti-war rally, after court raised attendance cap
Detained activists say police stopped them from reaching shelter amid missile attack; chief rabbi declares court ‘enemy of Judaism’ after permissive ruling is issued on Shabbat
By Charlie Summers and Sam Sokol
Peter Deutsch, founder of the Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School Foundation, addresses the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board on January 12, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (Screenshot via JTA)
March 26, 2026, 1:03 am
Supporters of Jewish charter school file lawsuit challenging ban in Oklahoma
Backers of proposed Ben Gamla School hope court proceeding will set stage for the nation’s first publicly funded religious charter school
By Asaf Elia-Shalev
The Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board discussed and rejected an application from the National Ben Gamla Jewish Charter School Foundation on February 9, 2026. (Screenshot via JTA)
March 14, 2026, 4:37 pm
Oklahoma attorney general slams ‘rigged’ vote on proposed Jewish charter school
In a motion this week, Gentner Drummond says the board ‘deliberately hobbled its own legal position’ by issuing a denial that strengthens the institution’s case in federal court
By Asaf Elia-Shalev
Illustrative: The Oklahoma Supreme Court is pictured in the state Capitol building in Oklahoma City, May 19, 2014. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)
February 17, 2025, 4:08 am
A US Supreme Court case could pave the way for publicly funded Jewish day schools
A ruling on religious charter schools in Oklahoma could make education a lot cheaper for many American Orthodox Jews while opening up new options across the religious spectrum
By Asaf Elia-Shalev
Rachel Laser, the president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, speaks at an event the organization held at St John's Episcopal Cathedral in Los Angeles on November 21, 2024. (Courtesy of Evan Clark, Atheists United)
January 4, 2025, 8:40 pm
The Jewish woman leading the fight against American Christian nationalism
Since 2018, Rachel Laser, the first Jew to lead Americans United for Separation of Church and State, has worked with Christian allies to keep religion from influencing US laws
By Asaf Elia-Shalev
Left: Conservative Rabbi Shalom Tzvi (Harry) Davidowitz (public domain); right: From right to left, Rabbi Mauricio Balter, executive director of Masorti Olami, Dr. Yizhar Hess, Rabbi Ashira Konigsberg, Rabbi Jacob Blumenthal, CEO of the Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, look up at the street sign named for Shalom Tzvi (Harry) Davidowitz, Herzliya, December 11, 2024. (Herzliya Municipality)
December 15, 2024, 6:06 am
1st street in Israel named for Masorti rabbi who influenced Declaration of Independence
In Herzliya, the Conservative Movement celebrates the commemoration of US cleric Shalom Tzvi Davidowitz, who is likely responsible for adding God into the historic 1948 statement
By Mati Wagner
Illustrative: Workers repaint a Ten Commandments billboard off of Interstate 71 on Election Day near Chenoweth, Ohio, November 7, 2023. Louisiana has become the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom under a bill signed into law by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry on June 19. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
November 13, 2024, 8:39 am
Federal judge temporarily halts Louisiana law requiring Ten Commandments in schools
Law obligated state schools, universities to hang posters laying out biblical laws; case brought by coalition including three Jewish families claims it violates first amendment
By jacob gurvis
Secular and Orthodox activists clash after the religious Rosh Yehudi group sets up a gender divider made of Israeli flags in defiance of a municipality decision at a public prayer service in Dizengoff Square, Tel Aviv on Yom Kippur, September 24, 2023. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash 90)
October 10, 2024, 2:16 pm
Despite winning court battle, group cancels outdoor Yom Kippur prayers in Tel Aviv
Citing concern of saboteurs disrupting gender-separated services even after court confirmed their legality, Rosh Yehudi says they’ll be held inside to keep the peace
By Mati Wagner
Gabe and Liz Rutan-Ram in a still from a campaign ad from Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. (YouTube)
July 12, 2024, 10:14 am
US religious freedom drive backs Jewish couple barred from Christian adoption agency
Americans United for the Separation of Church and State makes Gabe and Liz Rutan-Ram’s struggle to adopt the centerpiece of their critique of conservative think tank’s Project 2025
By Jackie Hajdenberg
Illustrative: Workers repaint a Ten Commandments billboard off of Interstate 71 on Election Day near Chenoweth, Ohio, November 7, 2023. Louisiana has become the first state to require that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom under a bill signed into law by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry on June 19. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
June 26, 2024, 1:09 am
Jewish parents join suit challenging Louisiana law requiring Ten Commandments in schools
Lawsuit argues that last week’s law violates the First Amendment, and some Jews feel that while rooted in the Bible, the statutes as presented push Christian values on kids
By Jackie Hajdenberg
Illustrative: Texas state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, center, is joined by his sons, David and Whitby, during the Pledge of Allegiance in the House Chamber at the Texas Capitol on the last day of the legislative session in Austin, Texas, May 29, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
June 10, 2023, 3:32 am
Jewish activists lead charge against inserting religion back into US public schools
With over 1,600 bills nationwide seeking to instill religious values in state educational institutions, advocacy groups protest the ‘crumbling wall’ between church and state
By Cathryn J. Prince
Former Bremerton High School assistant football coach Joe Kennedy takes a knee in front of the US Supreme Court after his legal case, Kennedy vs. Bremerton School District, was argued before the court, April 25, 2022. (Win McNamee/Getty Images via JTA)
June 29, 2022, 10:32 am
Leading US Orthodox group praises Supreme Court backing for football coach’s prayer
Agudath Israel of America backs decision to do away with decades-old standard for assessing violations of church-state rules, but remains concerned about proselytization in schools
By Ron Kampeas
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