OU Applauds Attorney General Alberto Gonzales for Launching New Department of Justice Initiative to Protect Religious Liberty: The First Freedom Project

Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America commended the United States Department of Justice for launching a new program to enforce protections against religious discrimination. The First Freedom Project will hold educational training seminars throughout the country about religious discrimination. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales announced that a Religious Freedom Task Force will be created to review policies and religious discrimination cases, saying that “preserving religious liberty requires an ongoing commitment to protecting this most basic freedom for people of all faiths.”

As part of the new program, the Justice Department is setting up a Web site, http://www.firstfreedom.gov, with information on enforcement and how to file a religious discrimination complaint.

Nathan J. Diament, director of the Union’s Institute stated:

The Orthodox Union applauds Attorney General Gonzales for launching this new initiative by the Department of Justice. We deeply appreciate the continuing work of the Department of Justice in protecting and promoting religious liberty for members of the Orthodox Jewish community and all communities of faith in the United States.