Los Angeles, California (Pixabay)
Los Angeles County officials threatened to dispatch deputies to homes where Jewish families gather for meals during the Rosh Hashanah holiday, which begins Friday.
But they backed down quickly after First Liberty Institute dispatched a letter arguing they can't allow mass political protests while banning small religious gatherings.
First Liberty promises to continue working on the issue until it is fully resolved and the policy is reversed or eliminated.
The controversy erupted when Los Angeles County banned gatherings such has those "having dinner with extended family and friends to honor the High Holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur)."
The policy was changed to a ban on "having a meal with extended family and friends for a religious or cultural holiday."
Offenses, a violation of local health orders, would be punishable by fines and jail.
First Liberty confronted officials in a letter to the county's health officer, Muntu Davis, and legal counsel, Mary Wickham.
"In light of the county's tolerance of mass political gatherings of up to 100,000 individuals, as well as its express approval of various commercial activity, the county has waived any argument that it must prohibit small gatherings for the most holy days of the Jewish calendar," the letter warned. "It is simply beyond the pale to threaten specifically to police the homes of observant Jews during the High Holy Days, under threat of criminal penalties. The county should immediately make it clear to the public that it will not dispatch Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies to the homes of Jewish families gather for religious meals during the High Holidays inside someone's home."
Stephanie Taub, senior counsel at First Liberty Institute, said that after Los Angeles County "has allowed political gatherings of up to 100,000 attendees, it is outrageous that the county would publish a policy threatening to crack down on extended family sharing a meal for Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur."
"The county should immediately remove all language from county policy threatening to police small, religious gatherings at family homes," she said.
First Liberty client Rabbi Yisrael Gelb said: "Los Angeles' policy is profoundly disrespectful and disappointing. I plan on honoring the High Holidays as I do every year, by sharing a table with a local family in my congregation. We urge the county to reverse its policy and allow us to celebrate our most holy days in peace and safety."
Officials responded, and First Liberty announced it had been informed that the county will not send deputies into Jewish homes.
"Our client and the Jewish residents of Los Angeles County can breathe a little easier knowing that officials have promised that they will not send law enforcement to their homes to enforce a policy that should never have been adopted in the first place," said Taub. "Our Jewish neighbors are strong and resilient and simply want to share a table with their local families during the High Holidays in peace. While we are grateful that the county has promised that its policy will not be enforced, we will continue to work with our client and the county until this issue is completely resolved."
The county also announced bans on "celebrating the new arrival of a baby with a baby shower or gender reveal party," "having a barbeque with a group of friends in the backyard" and "hosting a study group with school students."
The institute had warned the county of probable complications if the county stood by its restriction on Jewish gatherings.
"A county may not selectively enforce its laws against religious observance," the institute said, "A law that targets the free exercise of religion 'must undergo the most rigorous of scrutiny. … Los Angeles County appears to favor First Amendment guarantees when applied to hundreds of thousands of its citizens marching in close proximity, singing, chanting, and looting, but would single out a small Jewish family peacefully sharing a meal with friends or extended family."
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