Rabbi Ingram, shalom.  President Trump’s proclamation endorsing Shabbat appears to have divided the Jewish community in the USA. How can there be Jews against Shabbat? What’s your view?   Yours. Tony G.

From what I have read, while the Orthodox community in the USA has warmly applauded the Trump Shabbat initiative, American Reform, Reconstructionist and even most Conservative congregations have demurred, publicly arguing that President Trump’s historic and unprecedented endorsement of the observance of a semiquincentennial “national Shabbat …from sundown on May 15 to nightfall on May 16” blurred the lines between religion and state.

This stance is entirely in keeping with these cohorts’ prioritisation of “Americanism” above Judaism. But in any event, they are mischievously misinterpreting the First Amendment. The relevant clause states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”  This is generally interpreted to mean that the US government........

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