Judge Upholds Menorah Display

A Superior Court judge today granted the City of Los Angeles’ request to display a historic Jewish menorah in the City Hall rotunda.

In his opinion, Judge Robert H. O’Brien rejected the American Civil Liberties Union’s arguments that display of the menorah next to a Christmas tree violates the constitutional requirement for separation of church and state. “The applicable constitutional provisions do not require purging of all religious symbolism in our public life,” O”Brien said. He said displaying the menorah that was rescued from the Great Synagogue of Katowitz during the Holocaust will serve a valuable public purpose by enlightening citizens.