Jewish community leaders concerned over reports of Christian proselytizing at the United States Air Force Academy gave mixed reviews to a 50-minute meeting they had on Feb. 13 with U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett (R-Dist. 5) at his Paramus office.

While one member of the four-person delegation described the meeting with Garrett as a “good conversation,” another said he was disappointed that Garrett seemed unconvinced by widely reported incidents of religious coercion at the academy.

Meeting with Garrett were three members of the Community Relations Committee of United Jewish Communities of MetroWest New Jersey, joined by Etzion Neuer, NJ regional director of the Anti-Defamation League.

Although the meeting was prompted by concerns over proselytizing at the academy, the group also sought to discuss international issues, said CRC director Lori Price Abrams. She described it as an “opportunity to thank Garrett for his support of Israel and his concern over Iran’s potential nuclear capability and the Hamas victory in Palestinian elections.”

She called the session a “respectful exchange of views.”

The meeting with Garrett came one week after the Air Force Academy introduced revised guidelines on religious tolerance and practices at the academy, which has been accused of fostering a Christian environment on campus and allowing proselytizing by senior officers and cadets.

Garrett, a two-term lawmaker whose district covers parts of Bergen, Warren, and Sussex counties, opposed an interim set of guidelines issued by the Pentagon. He was the lone NJ signatory to a letter from Republican lawmakers to President George W. Bush saying that limitations on Christian prayer at the academy “would be a violation of religious freedom.”

ADL’s Neuer wrote to Garrett last month saying that his organization was “disappointed and concerned” that the congressman had signed the letter.

In their conversation this week over the guidelines, Garrett gave the Jewish leaders a “homework” assignment, said Stephen Flatow of West Orange, who chairs the CRC. Garrett asked them for “specific examples he could address. It was a fair request on his part.”

But CRC vice chair Elihu Davison of Morristown was far more critical of the legislator’s response to the Jewish leaders’ concerns.

“Garrett was polite but he doesn’t want to change his mind,” said Davison. “His response was to demand an accounting of a specific litany of instances. We will get him a complete listing. The fact that both the superintendent of the academy and the commandant of cadets have been replaced and the secretary of the Air Force appointed a special adviser, Rabbi Arnold Resnikoff, who is a former Navy chaplain — all of that seemed irrelevant and immaterial to Congressman Garrett.”

Following the meeting, Neuer told NJJN, “We appreciated the congressman’s time, and we will be glad to furnish him with a list of incidents we have compiled. Congressman Garrett has been very supportive of our community in many issues related to Israel. But Israel is not enough. We have concerns about the establishment of religion by government institutions, and we look forward to continuing a dialogue with him on this in the future.”

Flatow described the meeting as “a good conversation” and said he believes the congressman is open to considering their arguments. “Nothing has been written in stone as far as Garrett is concerned,” Flatow told NJJN.

“We expressed on our side there has to be recognition [of] the presence of people at events that are not voluntary,” said Flatow. “We are uncomfortable with advocacy of a particular aspect of God and, generally, references to Jesus Christ. I think we made that point across the board.”

Price Abrams said they urged Garrett to consider the “power imbalance” in the military hierarchy.

“Some things should not be done that are done before a voluntary audience,” she said. “One needs a balance between free exercise in a manner that is most faithful to their tradition, but there should not be a suggestion or perception of government endorsement of any particular faith or a preference toward faith versus none.”

Davison was less measured in his response to the meeting.

“I said to him, ‘I was quite taken aback that some of his colleagues could say this represents an anti-Christian attack, because it has been almost 2,000 years since any government had had a budget for coliseums stocked with Christian-eating lions,’” said Davison.

At the academy “the Christians are the lions,” said Davison, “and we’re simply trying to protect the Establishment Clause of the Constitution,” which prohibits governmental endorsement of religious practice.

Garrett’s chief of staff, Michelle Person, responding briefly from Garrett’s office on Capitol Hill, told NJJN that the Jewish leaders “agreed to provide him with additional information. We look forward to getting that information. We are looking forward to an open dialogue with them, and I really hope we will be able to.”