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Jewish teachers in Calif. allege discrimination

May 25, 2009

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Two Jewish public school teachers in California have alleged religious discrimination in a federal lawsuit.

One of the teachers in the Edison school district is a rabbi.

Rabbi Bruce Neal alleged that he was forced to take off his yarmulke, and that he and fellow teacher Jean Bornstein were criticized for their kosher diet, religious clothing and observance of Jewish holidays, the ABC-TV in Bakersfield, Calif., reported.

"They have been singled out as Jewish teachers," attorney Alan Reinach told the news channel. "They were shunned, excluded, treated like non-persons because they're Jewish."

Both teachers at the Orangewood Elementary School also claim they were denied promotions because they were Jewish.

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