IV

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 62

Expressing the sense of Congress that the George Washington letter to

Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, which is on display at

the B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum in Washington,

D.C., is one of the most significant early statements buttressing the

nascent American constitutional guarantee of religious freedom.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 14, 2001

Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island (for himself, and Mr. LANGEVIN) submitted

the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee

on the Judiciary

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress that the George Washington letter to Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode

Island, which is on display at the B’nai B’rith Klutznick

National Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., is one

of the most significant early statements buttressing the

nascent American constitutional guarantee of religious

freedom.

Whereas George Washington responded to a letter sent by

Moses Seixas, warden of Touro Synagogue in Newport,

Rhode Island, in August 1790;

Whereas, although Touro Synagogue, the oldest Jewish house

of worship in the United States, and now a national his-
2

•HCON 62 IH

toric site, was dedicated in December 1763, Jewish families had been in Newport for over 100 years before that

date;

Whereas these Jews, some of whom were Marranos, came to

the United States with hopes of starting a new life in this

country, where they could practice their religious beliefs

freely and without persecution;

Whereas they were drawn to the Colony of Rhode Island and

the Providence Plantations because of Governor Roger

Williams’ assurances of religious liberty;

Whereas the letter from Touro Synagogue is the most famous

of many congratulatory notes addressed to the new president by American Jewish congregations;

Whereas Seixas articulated the following principle, which

Washington repeated in his letter: ‘‘For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no

sanction, to persecution no assistance; requires only that

they who live under its protection, should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their

effectual support’’;

Whereas this was the first statement of such a principle

enunciated by a leader of the new United States Government;

Whereas this principle has become the cornerstone of United

States religious and ethnic toleration as it has developed

during the past two centuries;

Whereas the original letter is on display as part of the permanent collection of the B’nai B’rith Klutznick National

Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.; and

Whereas Americans of all religious faiths gather at Touro

Synagogue each August on the anniversary of the date of
3

•HCON 62 IH

the letter’s delivery and at the Klutznick Museum on

George Washington’s birthday to hear readings of the letter and to discuss how the letter’s message can be applied to contemporary challenges: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that—

3 (1) the George Washington letter sent to Touro

4 Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, in August

5 1790, which is on display as part of the permanent

6 collection of the B’nai B’rith Klutznick National

7 Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., is one of the

8 most significant early statements buttressing the

9 nascent American constitutional guarantee of reli10 gious freedom; and

11 (2) the text of the George Washington letter

12 should be widely circulated, serving as an important

13 tool for teaching tolerance to children and adults

14 alike.

Æ