January 24, 2001

NJDC Compares Toward Tradition’s Positions to American Jewish Public Opinion Data

Listed in: Women's Issues, Other Domestic Policy, Reproductive Rights, NJDC News, Press Releases

Toward Tradition, a Jewish organization, this week endorsed the nomination of Senator John Ashcroft for Attorney General of the United States. Below is a table listing positions supported by Toward Tradition and its president, Rabbi Daniel Lapin, and polling data regarding the attitudes of American Jews on similar issues.

Reproductive Freedom

• Toward Tradition:

    "Abortion on demand is simply intolerable" (Rabbi Daniel Lapin in statement, 9/18/98).

 
• American Jewish Public Opinion:

    93 percent of American Jews believe that abortion should be legal under some or any circumstances (American Jewish Committee, 2000 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion, September 2000).

Separation of Church and State

• Toward Tradition:

    "[The Istook amendment] which would amend the constitution to allow student-initiated prayer in public schools is supported by Toward Tradition president, Rabbi Daniel Lapin" (Washington Jewish Week, 9/25/97). "Toward Tradition criticizes the ADL for its dogmatic adherence to the 'strict separationist' position, which misreads the First Amendment" (Toward Tradition statement opposing an ADL report critical of voucher programs, 10/15/98).

• American Jewish Public Opinion:

    86 percent of American Jews agree that "there should be a high wall of separation between church and state;" only 14 percent approve of a constitutional amendment permitting school prayer (USAToday, 8/30/00).

Gun Control

• Toward Tradition:

    "Toward Tradition also opposes additional gun regulation and indeed advocates the ownership of firearms by law-abiding citizens as an effective crime control strategy" (Toward Tradition statement, 8/19/99).
 

• American Jewish Public Opinion:

    88 percent of American Jews agree that there should be a nationwide ban on assault weapons (American Jewish Committee Exit Poll, July 1997). The "nation's largest Jewish organization reaffirms support for gun control measures" (Union of American Hebrew Congregations statement, 1/28/00).

School Vouchers

• Toward Tradition:

    "We conclude that support for school vouchers is the true Jewish position" ("Toward Tradition on Educational Vouchers/School Choice," 10/15/98). "We enthusiastically support" voucher programs (TowardTradition.org, "Issues Papers").
 
 
• American Jewish Public Opinion: 

    61 percent of American Jews oppose the idea of school vouchers to send children to private schools with public money; 68 percent of Jews oppose government aid to parochial or other religious schools (American Jewish Committee, 2000 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion, September 2000).