Rabbi Shea Hecht, Chairman of the Board of the National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education (NCFJE), will address INDEPENDENCE DAY RALLY 2008, July 3rd, 7:30 PM, at the Leon and Toby Cooperman JCC, 760 Northfield Ave., West Orange, NJ. This event, combined with a Freedom Concert, will launch a grass roots drive on behalf of national legislation to restore equal educational opportunity for every child.

At a planning meeting with educators from the tri-state area, Rabbi Hecht stated, "We don't have the liberty to decide that school choice is unachievable. For the sake of the children, we must do what we can and leave the rest to our Creator."

Rabbi Hecht serves NCFJE as liaison with various local, state, and federal government officials, with legal council and with the news and communications media. He was selected and appointed by Mayor Giuliani to serve as Commissioner of Human Rights in the city of New York. Despite these time-consuming responsibilities, he also keeps his finger on the pulse of the people, with crisis counseling for individuals and families in need.

Featuring the music of the fast rising Jewish rock band Yaakov Chesed and the popular Reality Addiction, Independence Day Rally 2008 is expected to spark a national movement for equal educational opportunity. Comedian Reuven Russell will present The Great Debate, exploring the issue of school choice in a most insightful and humorous manner.

Leading the drive for national legislation to require equitable disbursement of educational funds is Roland Straten, candidate for U.S. Congress from New Jersey's 8th District. He is a firm believer in less government and more individual freedom. Although more than 50 years have passed since Milton Friedman first introduced his voucher plan, this is the first time his idea is being proposed as national legislation.

Discounted tickets are available at www.JewishTickets.com.

For further information: 973-267-4213 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it