WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the Orthodox Union Advocacy Center, the federal advocacy arm of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, endorsed bipartisan legislation in both chambers of Congress designed to protect synagogues, churches, and other houses of worship from harassing protests. The Right to Worship Act is sponsored by Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) in the Senate and Reps. Brad Knott (R-NC) and Tom Suozzi (D-NY) in the House.

The bill creates a buffer zone around houses of worship to protect congregants from the sort of intimidating and violent protesters we have seen over the past year. OU Advocacy worked closely with the bill’s sponsors to draft this important legislation.

The Right to Worship Act creates a protest-free buffer zone within 100 feet of the entryway to any house of worship from one hour before to one hour after a scheduled prayer service or other religious gathering. Offenders would be penalized with a sliding scale of civil fines. OU Advocacy previously endorsed the SACRED Act, a buffer zone bill introduced in the House. ‘=

The Right to Worship Act carefully strikes the balance between an individual’s constitutional right to free speech and the right to practice one’s religion freely. Under this bill, protesters can indeed protest, but they cannot harass or threaten congregants with violence, block their path, or impede access to the entrance.

“We are grateful to Sens. Cruz and Slotkin and Reps. Knott and Suozzi for introducing this crucial legislation in the face of rising antisemitism and threatening protests that seek to create a culture of fear,” said OU Advocacy Executive Director Nathan Diament. “Freedom of religion is not just the freedom to believe as your faith instructs. It must include the right to practice one’s religion without fear of harassment or violence. No one in America—be they Jewish, Christian, Muslim, or of another faith—should have to choose between their religion and their safety.”

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