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78th Annual George Washington Letter Reading: Honoring Religious Freedom
Every summer, Touro Synagogue Foundation hosts the George Washington Letter Reading, an event honoring our nation’s heritage of religious freedom.
George Washington’s 1790 letter to “To the Hebrew Congregation in Newport” was written after his first trip to Rhode Island as President. In his eloquent reply to a letter by Moses Seixas, warden of the local Jewish congregation, Washington attested to the new government’s commitment to freedom of religion, an entitlement he regarded as an “inherent natural right.” The federal government, Washington stated, “gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance” — borrowing the now-famous phrase from Seixas’ letter that expressed their shared vision for America’s government.
August 17, 2025 marks the 78th reading of the famous letter.
The event will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 17, at The Old Colony House, at the head of Washington Square in Newport, and will be live-streamed
While in-person seating is limited, the event will be live-streamed, and all may attend virtually via a link on the Touro Synagogue Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/TouroSynagogue
The annual event has a long tradition of distinguished keynote speakers and letter readers, including Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan.
Rebecca Bertrand, Executive Director, Newport Historical Society, has been selected for the honor of reading the Washington Letter.
Meryle Cawley, Executive Director, Touro Synagogue Foundation, will read the letter to President Washington from Moses Seixas of Newport’s Hebrew Congregation, which inspired Washington’s famous response.
Crystal Williams, President of The Rhode Island School of Design, will deliver the keynote address.
For more information or to inquire about in-person attendance, please email [email protected] or phone (401) 847-4794 ext. 207
To learn more about President Washington's 1790 letter to the congregation that worshiped in Touro Synagogue, our nation's oldest surviving Jewish house of worship (dedicated 1763), visit this webpage: https://tourosynagogue.org/touro-synagogue-foundation/george-washington-letter-reading/
PHOTO courtesy of Newport Historical Society
ABOUT Touro Synagogue Foundation:
Originally known as “The Society of Friends of Touro Synagogue,” the Touro Synagogue Foundation was established in 1948 following the designation of Touro Synagogue, America’s oldest synagogue, as a National Historic Site.
The Touro Synagogue Foundation is a 501(c) 3 not-for-profit, nonsectarian organization dedicated to promoting and teaching religious diversity, colonial Jewish history, and the history of Touro Synagogue. The Foundation provides award-winning history tours and educational programs for adults and youth. The Touro Synagogue Foundation operates public programs in partnership with the George Washington Institute for Religious Freedom, the National Park Service, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Event Links
Facebook: https://go.evvnt.com/3193556-0
