Weeks before George Washington’s historic letter to the Jewish community goes on display at the National Museum of American Jewish History, President Obama received a copy of the document from a delegation of Orthodox rabbis and communal leaders visiting the White House.
The letter, in which President Washington promises America would give “to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance” was sent in 1790 to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island. The congregation was based in the Touro Shul, an Orthodox synagogue. As such, the Orthodox Union takes special pride in the letter and decided to present President Obama with a copy at the conclusion of their meeting on June 5. A similar copy was given to President George W Bush when he was in office.
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