Is there nowhere that is safe from government intrusion and meddling?

Rutherford Institute attorneys have just filed a civil rights lawsuit against the Township of Freehold, N.J., over city officials' attempts to prevent a local rabbi from gathering family and friends together to pray in the privacy of his home.

Believe me when I say that this lawsuit could have far-reaching and chilling consequences for people of all faiths.

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Rabbi Avraham Bernstein, along with his wife and eight children, lives in a single-family home in the Freehold Township. Each Friday, as well as on other Jewish holidays, Rabbi Bernstein welcomes family, friends and neighbors to his home for fellowship and prayer. The prayer services take place in the Bernsteins' living room.

However, earlier this year, the Township notified Rabbi Bernstein that the religious gatherings in his home violated local zoning ordinances and subsequently issued a summons charging the Rabbi with illegally operating a "house of worship." Government officials even went so far as to set up a camera directly across the street from the Rabbi's home, allegedly to monitor and record the comings and goings of individuals who gather there for observances of the Sabbath and other religious holidays.

Clearly, this rabbi has a constitutional right to gather with his loved ones to pray in the privacy of his own home. Furthermore, the government has no business monitoring the religious practices of individuals in the privacy of their homes. Nor should government officials be attempting to intimidate religious people into ceasing to worship as they please.

No matter what your faith — I hope you will recognize how important it is that we stand united in this case.

Please take a moment to show your support for The Rutherford Institute's efforts to protect the rights we all hold dear, especially the right of individuals to freely pray and worship in the privacy of their homes.

A gift of $25, $50 or $100 will go a long way toward continuing our critical legal and educational programs and ensuring that we remain on the front lines of the battle to protect our religious freedoms.

Every dollar makes a difference in this fight for freedom.

Yours faithfully,

John W. Whitehead
President

P.S. You may already be planning for the long weekend ahead, but I urge you to take a moment now – before the Labor Day festivities begin – to help us take this stand for freedom. We're counting on your support.

Under the regulations of the United States Internal Revenue Service, The Rutherford Institute is incorporated as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Donations to support The Rutherford Institute's legal and educational work help to safeguard the constitutional rights and religious freedoms of all Americans. Donations are tax-deductible. In compliance with general industry standards of a nonprofit organization, the Institute is audited annually by an independent accounting firm.

Founded in 1982 by constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead, The Rutherford Institute is a civil liberties organization that provides free legal services to people whose constitutional and human rights have been threatened or violated.

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