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"Year of Our Lord" Language Omitted In Jewish-American Heritage Proclamation

By Howard M. Friedman

As previously reported, on April 30 President Obama issued a Proclamation declaring May to be Jewish American Heritage Month. The New Jersey Jewish News this week points out an interesting element of religious sensitivity in the Proclamation. The standard formula in reciting the date on which Presidential proclamations (and many other formal government documents) are signed would be: "In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth." However in the Jewish American Heritage Month proclamation, the words "in the year of our Lord" are omitted. [Thanks to Jack S. Levey for the lead.]

Full post as published by Religion Clause on May 06, 2010 (boomark / email).