Jewish groups voice disappointment with Supreme Court decision

May 6, 20140

In a 5-4 decision handed down on Monday, the US Supreme Court reversed a lower appeals court decision in favor of a lawsuit brought by Susan Galloway (Jewish) and Linda Stephens (Atheist) in the upstate New York city of Greece. The plaintiffs held that the prayers should be nonsectarian, which the conservative majority of the court upheld, ruling on the side of overextended government reach. As far back as 1999, the town board has opened meetings with a prayer, typically led by a Christian clergyman. A number of Jewish groups including the Anti-Defamation League had filed friend-of-the court briefs and are now openly condemning the decision.