Press Releases

Religious Liberty Commission Hears Testimonies Regarding Antisemitism and Private Sector Religious Liberty Issues  

Press Statement
For Immediate Release: 2.9.26
Contact: John Manning, media@firstliberty.org
Direct: 972-941-4453

Religious Liberty Commission Hears Testimonies Regarding Antisemitism and Private Sector Religious Liberty Issues 

Testimony presented to the Commission described disturbing trends of antisemitism, threats to churches, synagogues and employees in the private sector.

Washington, D.C.—Today, First Liberty clients testified at a meeting before the President’s Religious Liberty Commission describing past and ongoing threats to the First Amendment rights of members of the Jewish Community, pastors, and employees in the private sector.

“The testimonies heard today should sound the alarm for all Americans that attacks on religious liberty threaten our most fundamental freedoms enshrined in the First Amendment,” noted Kelly Shackelford, CEO and Chief Counsel at First Liberty and member of the President’s Religious Liberty Commission. “It’s shameful and unlawful when any group obstructs, interferes with, and intimidates people who simply want to freely exercise their religious freedom.”

The committee heard testimony of first-hand accounts of past and ongoing threats to the Jewish Community and the religious beliefs of those in the private sector:

• Liat Cohen-Reeis, founder and director of Christian & Jewish Alliance in San Diego and the Director of the Antisemitism Task Force at StandWithUs, described ongoing incidents of trespassing, disruption, and harassment at worship services and other Jewish sponsored events from various agitators including members of the organization, Code Pink.
• JC Cooper, assistant pastor a The Mission Church in Carlsbad, California, told of aggressive agitators disrupting an interfaith service with a former member of the Israeli Knesset. Agitators shouted hateful language about Jews, accusing them of being murders, called for the elimination of the Jewish homeland, blocked exits with their bodies, filled the sidewalk outside the church’s front door while shouting obscene language through bullhorns.
• Lacey Smith, former flight attendant for Alaska Airlines was fired from her job when she raised a question on the company’s internal message board about the Equality Act that the airline was supporting. All airline employees were encouraged to comment but hers was removed, she was confronted, ridiculed and fired for her religious views.

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About First Liberty Institute 

First Liberty Institute is the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.

To arrange an interview, contact John Manning at media@firstliberty.org or by calling 972-941-4453.