Under the “New Partnership” program Gore proposed, religious institutions could receive federal funds for drug treatment programs, services for the homeless and initiatives to combat youth violence “without having to alter the religious character that is so often the key to their effectiveness,” Gore said.
Jewish organizations, which traditionally advocate strict church-state separation, lashed out at Gore’s proposal.
The Reform movement’s Religious Action Center called it “an alarming alteration to the careful balance between church and state,” said Mark Pelavin, the associate director.
Representatives from the Orthodox Union, meanwhile, supported the vice president’s proposal, and the National Jewish Democratic Council said it deserves examination.