Unfortunate Supreme Court decision against Regents Prayer; Prayer at home vs. school; Our obligation to strengthen faith amongst non-Jews; Antisemitic polemic
By the Grace of G-d
13th of Tishrei, 5723
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Dr. ...
Blessing and Greeting:
Thank you for your letter of Oct. 9th and enclosure. In the meantime you must have already received my Rosh Hashanah greetings and good wishes. I thank you very much for your good wishes, and may all the blessings which Jews send each other be fulfilled.
Replying to your question as to what my position is in regard to the Supreme Court’s decision concerning prayer in Public Schools, let me first of all make it clear that my opinion concerns the prayer under question, namely the Regents Prayer, which is strictly non-denominational; it does not apply to the “Lord’s Prayer,” or the reading of the Bible if it entails sections not acceptable to all faiths, or other denominational religious expressions.
It is my decided and firm opinion that the majority ruling of the Supreme Court concerning the Regents Prayer is a most unfortunate one, and that all legal means should be taken to have the ruling reversed.
Needless to say, I fully agree with you that home and congregational prayer is much more effective than school prayer, especially as in school it might recede into a routine exercise, though the same danger, if not to the same extent, exists also at home and in the congregation. But since we are dealing with a practical question and not a theoretical one, one that has arisen in this country in 1962, it is necessary to take into account, above all, the actual situation. The sad fact, to our shame and disgrace, is that there are thousands of Jewish homes which do not have daily prayer, and synagogue attendance is limited to special occasions. Thus, the Regents Prayer was the only opportunity for these thousands of children to mention G-d’s Name and be reminded of His existence. If the Supreme Court decision should not be reversed, G-d forbid, G-d’s memory would be altogether obliterated from the hearts and minds of these children. The apprehension that this prayer at school might supplant prayer at home and in congregation is, of course, without foundation, for it is obvious that parents who wish to encourage their children to pray will not be content with the Regents Prayer. Besides, the Supreme Court decision affects not Parochial schools but Public schools, precisely children who in the vast majority see no religion at home.
While the above is expressed from the Jewish point of view in relation to Jewish children, it surely behooves us to strengthen faith in G-d also among non-Jews, which makes the Supreme Court decision all the more regrettable in its effect upon all the many thousands of non-Jewish children in the public schools.
I had made my position on the Supreme Court decision clear, in no uncertain terms, at the public gathering of the Farbrengen which took place soon after that decision was made public. I further intended to reiterate it publicly again, but unfortunately there appeared in the meantime the explosive editorial in America, with its thinly veiled antisemitic threats. In such a charged atmosphere it is useless to argue, and I have decided to wait for a more opportune moment to come out publicly again in favor of a reversal of the said Supreme Court ruling.
Wishing you and yours a Chag Some’ach,
With blessing,
M. Schneerson
