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Comments (0)Leaders of religious groups signed a letter urging U.S. congressmen not to take measures to alter federal funding of religious charities.
The letter, delivered to members of Congress on Wednesday, opposed an amendment to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act that would prohibit religious charities that receive federal funding from preferring to hire employees of their religion. Leaders from the Orthodox Union, World Vision, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and other organizations signed the petition.
“Our nation needs religious charities,” World Vision President and CEO Richard Stearns said in a statement. “For decades, we have relied on and benefited from religious charities receiving federal grants. There is no good reason – nor a compelling legal justification – to jeopardize those organizations and, more importantly, the people they serve.”
According to World Vision and the Orthodox Union, many of the signatories of the letter represent charities that do not receive federal funding.
Under current law, faith-based organizations that receive federal funding can choose to hire people of the faith they represent. However, they cannot discriminate against recipients of their aid and are prohibited from proselytizing. In 1987, the Supreme Court ruled that the law guaranteeing the hiring rights of faith-based organizations did not violate the separation of church and state.
Salita Returning to Ring, Promoting Card
Dmitriy Salita will make his return to the ring in a boxing card he is promoting.
Salita, 28, an Orthodox Jewish boxer from Brooklyn, N.Y., said at a news conference Tuesday that he will fight Sept. 1 at the Oceana Hall in Brooklyn, the venue of his first professional bout.
Salita has not fought since being stopped by Amir Khan in December in the first round of their World Boxing Association light-welterweight title bout in England.
He said he is acting on his interests in the business side of boxing and organizing a fight card in Brooklyn, where he grew up and where his most ardent fan base is located.
“It’s important for the business side of boxing to have new blood,” Salita said at the news conference in midtown Manhattan. “I’m in the gym, I see the boxers. There are so many talented boxers who never get the opportunity.”
After developing the Dmitry Salita Center in conjunction with Ezra USA as a way to help Russian Jews connect with Israel, as well as a boxing program with the JCC of Bensonhurst in Brooklyn, Salita is now “looking forward to getting back in the ring and growing with the company,” he said.
Salita (30-1-1), the top-ranked contender when he fought Khan, will move up to the 147-pound limit for the Sept. 1 fight after fighting previously at 140 pounds.
“I know that I have to make a statement; I understand that I need to look impressive and show that I’m back,” Salita said. “My inspiration is back more than ever.”
The card, titled “Redemption,” also will feature four-time New York Golden Gloves champion Will Rozinskiy, who is 12-0 as a pro. The card will air exclusively on The Jewish Channel.
NBA’s Dwight Howard to Visit Israel
NBA All-Star Dwight Howard will visit Israel to hold a basketball clinic for teens.
Howard, of the Orlando Magic, and several former NBA All-Stars will also scrimmage against the Maccabi Haifa professional basketball team of the Israeli Basketball Super League.
The group of current and former professional basketball players from the United States will visit Israel from Aug. 28 to Sept. 5, “to demonstrate their solidarity with the people and State of Israel,” according to a news release from SportsPower International, a nonprofit organization that uses current and former NBA players as inspiring role models to make a positive impact on international youth.
Howard will conduct a basketball workshop and training session for teens on Sept. 4. Later that day, Maccabi Haifa will scrimmage against a team of former NBA All-Stars, including Jerome Williams, Anthony Bonner, Paul Grant, David Wood and Laron Profit. The All-Star team will be coached by Dwight Howard’s father, Dwight Howard Sr.
“With the arrival of superstars the likes of Dwight Howard to host a clinic for teens for such a worthy cause and for our Maccabi Haifa team to scrimmage against former-NBA stars, we are more than happy to rearrange our preseason schedule,” said Maccabi Haifa’s vice chairman, Arnon Shiran.
Maccabi Haifa will travel to the United States to play the New Jersey Nets in its first preseason game at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., on Oct. 3.