Andrew W. Teitz

Andrew Teitz, president of the Society of Friends of Touro Synagogue (SOF), has announced that Jane S. Sprague is the Society's new executive director.

Andrew Teitz , president of the Society of Friends of Touro Synagogue , has announced that Jane S. Sprague is the Society's new executive director.

"We are especially proud to be the first sacred architecture in the collection of the National Trust," said Andrew W. Teitz, president of the Society of Friends of Touro Synagogue, the non-sectarian, non-denominational organization that manages the synagogue's historic and education programming.

"We are especially proud to be the first sacred architecture in the collection of the National Trust," said Andrew W. Teitz, president of the Society of Friends of Touro Synagogue, the non-sectarian, non-denominational organization that manages the synagogue's historic and education programming."This affiliation will bring America's synagogue even higher national prominence and help us send our message of religious liberty and tolerance to more Americans and international visitors."

The National Trust has 21 historic sites across the country.

Not so, says Andrew Teitz, a lawyer and former past president of the Touro Synagogue Foundation.

Teitz concedes there are some goverment grants that can be troublesome, as when Congress voted to allocate funds for the restoration of all the mission churches in California, without making them compete.

But, he said, he does not see any constitutional problem with houses of worship competing for funds available to all.

"Yes, you could say Touro was competing with the Old North Church when it applied for funds.But it was also competing with the Frank Lloyd House in Illinois and James Madison's House in Virginia," Teitz said."As long as the final decision is on the basis of historical merit, I don't see the problem."

As the town solicitor for Tiverton and assistant solicitor in Barrington, Bristol and West Greenwich, Teitz said he believes very strongly that religious institutions should not be exempt from local zoning restrictions, but rather treated the "the same as everyone else, no better, nor worse."

The corollary to that, he says, is that if they come under the same rules they should also be allowed to enjoy the benefits.