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Statue of Religious Liberty "Religious Liberty" was commissioned by B'nai B'rith and dedicated in 1876 to "the people of the United States" as an expression of support for the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom. Created by Sir Moses Jacob Ezekiel, the first American Jewish sculptor to gain international prominence, the 25-foot marble monument was carved in Italy and shipped to Fairmount Park in Philadelphia for the nation's Centennial Exposition. "Religious Liberty" is an allegorical work of monumental scale. The sculpture symbolizes Republican Freedom, represented by a classical female figure. Her head is crowned by a Phrygian cap with a border of thirteen stars, referring to the original Thirteen Colonies. In her left hand, this imposing Genius of Religious Liberty clutches the scrolled Constitution of the United States, the legal instrument by which social equality and freedom of conscience are assured. Her right arm is raised protectively over the Genius of Faith, a handsome youth at her side, who holds in his hand the burning lamp of Religion. At her foot, a fearsome eagle, symbolic of America, crushes with his claws the hideous serpent of Intolerance, suggesting the continuing triumph of American democracy over the powers of injustice and persecution. In 1985, the monument was relocated and rededicated on the grounds of the National Museum of American Jewish History. This effort was initiated in recognition of the statue's eternal message and the Museum's mission to provide interpretations about the history and culture of Jews in America. The Museum's location on Independence Mall, the birthplace of American liberty, is ideal for an institution that celebrates the freedoms that have made it possible for Jewish Americans to flourish. Copyright 1998-2000 by the National Museum of American Jewish History |